ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — An email to families from Florissant-Ferguson School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Davis sparked major concern among parents on Friday.
The district leader named a conference, illnesses, and other unforeseen absences as the reason 37 teachers were not at McCluer Senior High School on Thursday and that his office had it all under control.
On Friday, 5 On Your Side received a letter from a group of teachers from the school that said the reasons were far from true.
In an email, Davis said, "As you are aware, McCluer High School has had a very tumultuous year. At this time, faculty and staff feel they need a way to anonymously communicate concerns regarding the state of the building and district."
According to that group, 15-20% of the staff have already made the decision not to return next school year.
The letter also outlines reasons for those feelings including poor staff support, and disciplinary issues not being addressed for incidents including sex in the hallways, drugs, and fights.
During a school board meeting earlier in the week, a teachers union member told the board about violent behavior at the school.
A staff member also complained about the smell of marijuana there and others have previously told the board about discipline issues.
A spokesperson for the district sent a statement to our questions about the group's concerns:
The district is continuing to work to address concerns and to make the necessary changes to ensure we are providing a supportive and safe learning environment for both students and staff. Many changes have been made to address the concerns including adding additional staff; increased social emotional and mental health supports for students and revisions to the Student Expectation Code to better address student behaviors.
The district will continue to implement proactive measures to provide a safe and positive learning environment for students and staff.
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