TCSS Superintendent Responds To NAACP Press Conference Over Hillcrest Walkout

TUSCALOOSA, AL — In what is becoming a tense back-and-forth between the Tuscaloosa County School System (TCSS) and local activists, TCSS Superintendent Keri Johnson on Monday night reiterated support for students at Hillcrest High School after a walkout last week over alleged censorship of the school's student-led Black History Month program.

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As Patch reported earlier this evening, Hillcrest High senior Jamiyah Brown and Tuscaloosa NAACP President Lisa Young, along with other statewide NAACP officials, held a press conference at the TCSS Central Office in downtown Tuscaloosa following a meeting with system and school board officials.

This press conference, as should be noted, resulted in the group vocally opposing the proposed property tax increase on the ballot Tuesday that, if passed, would provide additional funding for the the county school system.

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Johnson, in a statement to local media, was quick to address Young's accusations that the system was not serious in investigating concerns within its purview, namely at Hillcrest.

"That is absolutely not true," Johnson said. "Today, we began the process of listening to our students about their school culture and climate; how we move forward will be guided by what we learn from our students. We are serious about hearing from our students openly and honestly, and this process will not be completed in just one day."

While the statement shooed away certain granular claims made by Young, Brown and others, it stopped well-short of refuting the much larger accusation published by Patch just hours ago that it was HHS Assistant Principal Cheryl Morrow that told students they could not mention slavery or discuss the Civil Rights Movement as part of the Black History Program, in addition to using an offensive analogy when discussing the Black Panther Party.

TCSS spokeswoman Terri Brewer cited standard protocol in saying the school system could not legally comment on any internal personnel matters.

Instead, Johnson addressed allegations made during Monday's press conference that Brown would not be able to participate in the Hillcrest High Black History Month program.

"The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA] prevents a school system from discussing details of individual student records," she said. "There may be additional details that are relevant to why a student is unable to participate in the program. However, it is against the law for us to openly to discuss student records."

Johnson went on to cite the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which provides legal confidentiality to most public school matters, before saying the Black History Program at Hillcrest High School is student-led and student-created."

This was likely the reason for Johnson delivering a near verbatim response as was issued in the immediate aftermath of last week's walk — a statement of support, but bound by federal law from providing much in the way of context to the situation at the center of the discussion.

"TCSS supports our students in expressing themselves, and including all parts of history, such as slavery and the civil rights movement, in their program," she said. "We also teach these topics in our history classes, as they are part of the Alabama State Department of Education history standards. It is important that our study of Black History is inclusive and sensitive."

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