POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Powhatan County Public Schools has announced a new date and location for the school board meeting that had to be called off due to overcrowding.
According to a Facebook post from the school district, the rescheduled school board meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 18 in the Powhatan High School auditorium.
According to the school district, a “larger-than-expected number of community members attended the Powhatan County School Board meeting last night, Tuesday, March 12, ready to share their views with the Board members” and the meeting was suspended by the fire marshal.
Parents, students and community members packed the Pocahontas Landmark Center Tuesday night hoping to talk about their concerns over how the school district is handling alleged issues of ongoing racism in its schools.
Concerns were amplified in February, when a photo allegedly showing a Powhatan High School student with a racial slur written on her arm circulated online.
Weeks after the photo began to circulate, Beth Teigen, the Powhatan County Public Schools superintendent, sent an email to parents on Sunday, March 10 acknowledging the situation.
“Hateful speech and actions will not be tolerated. Period,” Teigan said in the email.
According to the school district, the auditorium holds 950 people and spillover seating will be available in the cafeteria. Anyone who wishes to speak during the public comment period must sign in upon arrival and those representing a public group are asked to register by emailing sheila.eggleston@powhatan.k12.va.us.
