'Stop the violence'

The One in Five Foundation for Kids, founded after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, is calling on Garfield Heights City School District to end violence inside schools.

The national student advocacy non-profit says it's launching its own independent investigation into the district after staff continues to come forward with safety concerns.

One in Five is calling on the Ohio Department of Education to investigate, too. It also said it will deploy its STOPNOW citizen patrol teams in the Garfield Heights City Schools community.

Founder Daniel Chapin released this statement:

"The rising trend and culture of violence within this district stops today! As a former teacher myself, I understand the daunting challenges educators face without the threat of violence against them. I also know their dedication. For them to quit? The district needs to listen up. We will work to ensure they do. For the teachers & for the students. We cannot allow violence to take over our schools & it will take a collective effort in Garfield Heights & nationally to make the necessary changes to bring learning, not violence into our classrooms."

Garfield Heights City Schools said it received an invite from the One in Five Kids Foundation to meet and is working to schedule this meeting.

The Garfield Heights Teacher's Association said it's reporting 42 teachers and five administrator resignations since May. Seventeen of those resignations came in just the last few weeks.

"Seventy-two people did not leave here last year for no reason. This is now the third time I've spoken to this board during a mass exodus, as I labeled it. Three strikes, and I am now out," said Joni Wanderstock, former Garfield Heights City Schools teacher.

Wanderstock retired at the July 15 Garfield Heights City Schools Board of Education meeting, "you know how much I love this district and we should have never been treated this way," said Wanderstock.

The district said in a statement:

"The GHCS is extremely excited about the upcoming school year and continues to successfully work, from a personnel and security standpoint, to ensure a productive and safe environment for students and staff. The district is at near full capacity for all staffing and is confident to fill the fewer than 10 positions that remain open before the start of the school year. All elementary and administrative openings were filled, with just a few positions at the MS and HS to go. In terms of security, the GHCS looks to continue the positive trend of 25% fewer incidents involving student behavior from last year to the one before. The District has implemented various measures to increase our safety and security, including employing 6 security officers and SRO at the HS, 6 security officers at the MS,1 security officer at each elementary school.  Additionally, we updated our progressive discipline policy and added a Dean of Students at each building. The district is excited, hopeful, and confident about making the student and staff experience this year successful and safe."

Reynolds added at the July 15 board of education meeting, "detectors of various sorts at our buildings, de-escalation curriculum, the addition of conflict resolution personnel, more strict consequences for student offenders, in addition to more strict consequences for personnel offenders."

In July 2023, News 5 followed the resignation of more than 70 staff members. At that time, there was a 60% rise in departures from the 2022 record-breaking 47 resignations.

Garfield Hts. teachers resign in record numbers due to safety, admin. concerns

“There doesn’t seem to be any accountability or any support for the teachers who are trying to keep their kids safe in their classrooms," said Rebecca Justice, Garfield Heights parent.

"Nowadays, a lot of the staff are either scared to break up fights or scared because parents come, and they retaliate, and they press charges. So, I understand both ends," said parent and alumni Chloe Dozier.

The school year will be here soon. The district is inviting families to kick off the year with the annual Back to School gathering at Garfield Heights High School on Aug. 22 at 4 p.m.

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