Insulted, Humiliated at School

A Ouachita Parish couple is upset with the Ouachita Parish School System over the way they were treated by officials at East Ouachita High School. The couple stated that they wanted to register their child at the school, but their experience was anything but professional and cordial. The child's father initially went to the school to handle the registration but was told that because his name was not on the address where the child lives, he could not be listed as a contact in case the school needed to reach a parent or guardian. He was informed that the child's mother would have to complete the process, despite her being a diabetic undergoing dialysis treatments, which often leave her weak and physically exhausted. The father had attempted to register the child due to his wife’s condition.

When the couple arrived together to complete the registration, they were immediately told they would need to process their child in an area farther away, forcing the wife, who could barely stand, to walk a greater distance. The father asked school officials if they could use a vacant room nearby, as his wife was having difficulty breathing after walking from the parking lot to the office. Allegedly, they were rudely told that they had to proceed to the designated area. Concerned for his wife's health, the father repeated his request to use the closer room, at which point words were exchanged, and the principal arrived. The principal allegedly became angry as the father explained his wife's situation and, according to the couple, told them they could send their "damn child" to another school. The father objected to the way the principal spoke to his wife, leading the principal to summon the school resource officer.

The officer arrived and listened to the principal, who claimed to feel "threatened." The officer escorted the father outside, and after the father explained his side of the story, the officer informed him that, despite his name being eligible for the contact list, he "could be arrested" if he remained on school property. Eventually, the couple was allowed to process the paperwork, but the officer stood by, observing them "as if they were criminals." After their child was finally registered, the school allegedly failed to contact the parents, causing the child to miss additional days, with his first day being the last school day. The child was also allegedly given the wrong bus number, resulting in an absence charge due to the school's errors. The father, concerned about the officer’s warning, felt compelled to drop his child off "in traffic" on the busy highway in front of the school, fearing arrest if he entered the property. The couple hopes the school board will address the way they were treated and show more respect for the mother’s health condition. Ironically, after the confrontation, they were allowed to complete the paperwork in the room the father had requested in the first place. The father believes that if they had been accommodated earlier, the entire situation could have been avoided. He is now hoping that the school will allow him to visit if needed and that any "miscommunication or mix-ups" regarding his status will be resolved, as his wife’s condition may prevent her from coming to the school in the future.