Officials hosting community awareness meeting at Vina School

VINA – In light of recent events concerning inappropriate student-teacher relationships at Vina High School, school leaders have scheduled a community awareness meeting to address any concerns parents and community members might have.

Franklin County Schools Superintendent Gary Williams said the meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. at the multi-purpose center at Vina High School.

Williams said Dr. Amber Paulk, assistant professor of sociology and family studies at the University of North Alabama, would be present at the meeting to make parents, teachers and students aware of certain behaviors to observe and how to discuss these different behaviors with each other.

Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing will also be speaking at the meeting on the legal aspects of inappropriate behavior, and school officials will be available to answer questions.

“We are taking this situation very seriously, and myself and assistant superintendent Donald Borden know that there are a lot of questions that need to be answered,” Williams said.

“Vina is a good school and we want the parents and the community to feel like it is a safe and secure place for their children to be, so we want to address any questions or concerns that they might have.”

Williams said all concerned citizens, parents, teachers, and students were invited to attend this meeting.