NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Gun violence.
It's a major concern for parents, especially with the shooting at Richneck Elementary School and the recent instances where students have brought guns to schools in Hampton Roads.
In an effort to address student behavior, one Newport News councilwoman hosted a forum Wednesday night to get parents involved in the conversation.
“Since the Richneck issue, we’ve had at least two of our high school kids that have brought guns to school,” a former teacher who sat on Wednesday night's panel said.
Newport News residents and a few parents, like Shintina Garris, came out to voice their concerns about student behavior in schools. Garris said her children are now enrolled in another school district.
"My children attended Achievable Dream Academy," Garris said. "Here in Newport news from kindergarten to 9th grade. We moved away from the area due to violence in the area. They experienced bullying a lot. Now with everything going on with the internet and the digital age, I think things have been magnified."
Garris said she’s had enough with gun violence after Heritage High School senior 18-year old Ke’ron Bowles was shot and killed near his home in February.
Newport News Councilwoman Tina Vick said her goal for the town hall was to get parents involved in the conversation.
"As we’re looking at the crime and young people shooting," Vick said. "We’ll blame the police, people will blame the government or the schools but nobody looks at the parents. Discipline starts at home."
Another parent, Molly Hunter, said she has three children in elementary school.
"I really wanted to be a part of the conversation. It’s really important to me that things change," Hunter said.
She says she wants to see something done about discipline in classrooms.
"Thankfully within my children’s school it’s not been as big of an issue but it’s still something I know that teachers deal with a lot," Hunter said.
Although only a few parents showed up at the town hall, Councilwoman Vick said she plans to host another town hall to hear from more parents in the community.
