CYNTHIANA, Ky. (WKYT) - Concerned Harrison County parents packed their high school gym Monday night as tensions flared over an assembly gone wrong. School leaders are still facing backlash from last week's "uncomfortable" and in some cases "traumatic" groundbreaking ceremony for the new high school.
The event happened Thursday, and parents and teachers said that students were passing out, vomiting and suffering from heat exhaustion after sitting out in the 90-degree sun for hours. So parents continued to question the actions of school leadership and the motivations behind the event at a special-called school board meeting.
"Does this event violate laws prohibiting the use of school children and property for political purposes?" said Greg Coulson, one of the dozens who signed up to speak. "What was the educational purpose of this event?"
Coulson himself brought a list of 30 questions, after the groundbreaking ceremony-turned-calamity last week.
"They were under intense heat for an extended period of time in the oven of a football stadium," said Dr. James Calder, a parent and a physician at Harrison Memorial Hospital. "We wouldn't put a football team on the field for three hours with no water break."
"Me and my family are a product of this county. We love this county. I will never send my children to your school," said another speaker.
Even teachers, like third-grade instructor Amy Furnish, called for change.
"I may not have a job in the morning, but it will be worth it because there has to be a change in Harrison County Schools," said Furnish.
But their questions weren't answered, even though the meeting had been advertised online as a community forum and Q&A.
Superintendent Harry Burchett instead addressed a filled Harrison County gym before public comment.
"I regret that the day planned to celebrate, excite and inspire all students, staff, and the community had the outcome that it did," said Burchett.
He says they've planned for this event since June and claims they had a first aid station and water available. But his explanations and apology fell on many deaf ears, with several even calling for his resignation.
"It is a shame that you are leading this school system," said one parent. "We are going to need integrity to have leadership at this school system."
The collective sentiment remains that work needs to be done before trust can be rebuilt. Superintendent Burchett says school leaders will debrief over this issue, looking at their mistakes and failures, so they can better prepare for future events.