Senior skip deadly shooting used as lesson in Newton County classroom sparking outrage
The Brief
Newton County Schools halts a social studies assignment featuring the murder of Justin Etienne on March 19.
The school system calls the current events lesson inappropriate.
Newton County Schools says the teacher behind the assignment is not employed by the system but by a third party.
NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - A social studies lesson at Alcovy High School has alarmed students, parents, and loved ones of Justin Etienne, a child murdered just over a week ago at a senior skip day event in Newton County.
The video of alarmed students has circulated across social media for days. It shows six questions about Etienne's murder posed to students.
What we know
Some of the questions in the assignment include:
What event happened during the senior skip day event at Denny Dobbs Park?
Who was involved in the event?
Who was killed?
Was Etienne a bystander?
What are Jarvis Hinton Jr. and Tashawn Lyons facing?
Any thoughts about this event??
What are people saying?
Newton County Schools says the teacher was not an employee but a contractor through a third-party vendor due to a teacher shortage.
What they're saying
In a written statement, the district said:
"An ill-advised warmup activity was given to students in a Current Events class at Alcovy High School. The task, which had not been reviewed or approved by administrative personnel, referenced the recent tragedy at Denny Dobbs Park.
"Without reservation, we acknowledge that the teacher's actions were inappropriate and insensitive. While it may have been intended to facilitate a classroom discussion under the guise of current events, the topic should never have been used. As soon as school administrators were made aware of the situation, the activity was suspended, and an internal review was conducted.
"We are currently addressing this issue directly with the staff member involved and will use this incident to ensure that greater care and discernment are applied when discussing sensitive topics in the classroom. Newton County Schools remains committed to providing a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment for all students.
"We extend sincere apologies to our students and to all who have been affected or hurt by this."
SEE ALSO:
Senior Skip Day shooting: 2nd teen arrested for murder of Rockdale County high school student
Senior Skip Day shooting in Newton County: 16-year-old arrested
18-year-old killed at Denny Dobbs Park in Newton County identified
The Source
FOX 5's Kevyn Stewart spoke with those who knew Justin Etienne, a child murdered just over a week ago at a senior skip day event in Newton County, and the Newton County School District for this article.
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