Ringgold parents demand action after children suffer ‘brutal’ attacks at school

The Ringgold School District sign is shown in this file photo.

By Michael Richter
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Parents, who said their children sustained concussions from brutal attacks on school grounds, called upon Ringgold School District administration to make a concerted effort to address student discipline issues within the district.
In impassioned pleas to the Ringgold School Board and district administration, parents Lauren Bird and Diana Zippay demanded better solutions to the district’s growing student discipline issues.
Diana Zippay told Ringgold School Board that her sixth grade son was brutally attacked at the middle school on April 8 during dismissal. She said her son was thrown headfirst into a metal corner bead.
“He sustained a massive concussion,” Zippay said. “He no longer has visual acuity, his memory is poor and his balance has been interrupted… He required six staples to his head. He came out of the building with blood coming down his head, and I needed to take him to the emergency room immediately.”
Zippay demanded that the student who attacked her son be expelled.
“I am confused as to how this student remains in our buildings, how these offenders can repeatedly cause bodily harm to our children,” she said. “How are we not protecting our hallways? How are we not protecting cafeterias?”

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