New details emerge in Farragut Primary incident
Last Tuesday, two children left the school without supervision or permission.
Later that day, Knox County Schools released a statement:
“We can confirm that two students did leave campus without permission. Both students are safe, and school administration has been in contact with their families.
“Knox County Schools takes student supervision seriously and we have already opened an internal investigation and will take any action deemed necessary based on the results of that investigation.”
On Monday, Aug. 24, Knox County Schools Chief Communications Officer Carly Harrington confirmed the investigation is still ongoing.
Also, she verified information we received from a concerned parent detailing the status of the teacher involved in the situation.
“We can confirm that the investigation is ongoing and that one staff member is currently on leave with pay,” Harrington said in an email to the farragutpress. “Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, we cannot provide any additional details at this time.”
Per that same concerned parent, the two children involved saw a maintenance worker push open a playground gate that opens from the inside.
The children used that same gate to walk to the nearby library, located a five-minute walk away, as their classmates returned from recess.
Reportedly, there is no code to lock this gate since it locks from the outside, not the inside.
By the time their teacher returned to the classroom, the two absent children had been spotted by a Good Samaritan, who called one of the kids’ parents.
At that point, the parent had reportedly called the school.
There was allegedly not an “all call,” which is when a teacher uses a walkie-talkie to alert others of an absence before the same alert is issued over the school intercom system.
After talking with multiple community members, a question has arisen as to why there is not a device that could scan badges as teachers enter and leave the building.
Another parent sent a photo of an email from FPS principal Lynn White, who said the school’s next steps included an administration meeting “to reinforce expectations and ensure they are being consistently followed in every area. We will also be reviewing our internal safety and security protocols and make any adjustments needed to strengthen supervision. We are committed to learning from this incident and taking the necessary steps to prevent it from happening again.”
Knox County Schools District 5 representative Lauren Morgan added a statement to her Facebook page:
“My heart dropped when I learned that two students were able to leave the Farragut Primary School campus during the school day,” she stated. “As a parent, that news hits especially close to home, and I know many of our parents and families feel that same concern. First and foremost, I am incredibly grateful that both children were located and are safe. That is what matters most.”
“When parents send their children to school each morning, they are trusting us with what is most precious to them,” Morgan added, “I don’t take that trust lightly, and I know an incident like this is unsettling and raises very real questions for families. Knox County Schools has opened an internal investigation to determine exactly what happened and how these students were able to leave campus. I believe it is important that we allow that process to establish the facts, but parents also deserve answers. We need to understand what happened, identify where procedures or supervision may have broken down, and make sure the appropriate steps are taken to prevent something like this from happening again. I will be asking questions and following this closely on behalf of the families I represent. This morning, I remain incredibly thankful that these children are safe. My heart is with their families and with the entire Farragut Primary community as we work to understand what happened, learn from it, and make sure the safety and trust of our families remain at the center of everything we do.”
