Parents raise clinic concerns
CLINTON — East Feliciana Parish School Board members tried to assure a group of Slaughter parents Tuesday that they will resolve their concerns about security at a health clinic at Slaughter Elementary School.
Not all of the parents seemed convinced; one stormed out of the meeting, slamming the door behind her.
RKM Primary Care, a federally qualified health provider in Clinton, operates school clinics for students at all East Feliciana Parish schools, but some board members said the clinics’ staffs are required by federal law to see other people, including adults, at the facilities.
Parent Jason Aaron said students are sent to the clinic without adult supervision, while adults come to the campus to be treated at the clinic.
Only a 3-foot high wall separates the student and general public waiting rooms, he said.
“Our understanding was that the public would be seen after school hours,” Aaron said.
The board’s School Health Services Committee was scheduled to discuss the concerns Thursday, but the meeting was canceled because of Hurricane Isaac.
Committee Chairman Broderick Brooks attempted to remove the committee report from Tuesday’s agenda, but the parents objected and Brooks was outvoted.
A parent, who did not identify himself, questioned if Brooks should remove the clinic item from the agenda, noting Brooks is a full-time employee of the clinic’s sponsors, Primary Care Providers for a Healthy Feliciana Inc. and RKM Primary Care.
“They know it,” Brooks replied.
Slaughter board member Ben Cupit said the parents have legitimate security concerns.
“It’s not an RKM problem; it’s a School Board problem,” Brooks said.
The committee meeting was rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at the School Board office.
Board President Michael Bradford asked Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. “to make sure the kids are supervised until we get this ironed out.”
“We can work this out,” Assistant Principal Tom Sanches said.
Other topics before the board included:
HURRICANE DAYS: Lewis announced the two of the four days of school missed because of the hurricane will be made up Sept. 17 and Sept. 24. The district operates on a four-day week, and students normally would have been out those days. The other two days will be made up on days included in the school calendar for weather and other emergency closures.
STRATEGIC PLANNING: Board Vice President Mitchell Harrell asked Lewis to come up with a retreat-type meeting at which the board could take conflict-resolution training and plan for the future.