GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Two recent incidents within Grand Rapids Public Schools has parents and teachers reigniting their relentless pleas to board members, demanding a different district environment to replace the current one which, according to them, has been too dysfunctional for too long.
“Really ain’t no words to explain how disgusted I am," said an emotional Bianca Bridgeforth. “Why did he get put out of school? Like, I have questions. I’m trying to figure out why.”
Bridgeforth's son, 13-year-old Javeon Childrey, was shot in the face at a park right next to Alger Middle School in May, during school hours.
Bridgeforth told FOX 17 Monday that her son is no deaf in his right ear, blind in his right eye and suffered a blot clot in his brain leaving him with other health issues.
Also on Monday, Bridgeforth told GRPS board members she has not felt supported since the incident.
"It breaks my heart to know that y’all is careless," Bridgeforth said. "Nobody in this system is caring about these kids.”
Javeon stood beside his mother during Monday's meeting. Bridgeforth said this traumatic experience highlights a larger issue.
"I’ve been complaining for the last two years and now my baby is shot," she said.
READ MORE: 'The school is out of control': Mother of student shot in face calls for accountability
Many parents and teachers called the district out for a lack of safety and transparency, creating a toxic culture which, in their minds, was once again revealed through the departure of the now-former GRPS communications director Leon Hendrix.
“This situation has left a bitter taste in many of our mouths for a variety of reasons," one parent told the board. "For some of us, it’s because we held Leon in great esteem. For some of us, it’s because many members of the community have had far more harmful experiences at the hands of other leaders in GRPS, and those folks, at worst, have received what amounts to a paid vacation.”
They felt his termination was done out of retaliation, which was a sentiment echoed in an email from Hendrix himself to GRPS Vice President Kymberlie Davis, obtained through a FOIA request.
"I’m writing to submit a complaint and a request for investigation into what I believe is retaliation on the part of Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby," Hendrix said at the start of the email.
Several purple "Keep Leon" shirts were seen in the audience, supplementing several signs that said "FIX GRPS," hoping to patch up problems that, they said, have persisted for years.
“I could’ve brought notes that were ten years old and they would’ve fit perfectly. We could’ve shared them," said Jack Prince, a former teacher at Union High School. “The chronic threats of a school administrator in this school with parents should get us all to the point of saying it has to end no matter what it takes.”
The board did not respond to any public comments Monday, which is standard at these meetings.
Javeon's family is calling for the suspension of Alger Middle School Principal Charlie Lovelady, pending the outcome of the shooting investigation. Many also urged GRPS Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby to resign.
FOX 17 will continue to cover this developing story.
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