Irmo High School going virtual to ‘retool’ after fights, student walk-out, district says
Irmo High School is going to virtual learning on Monday and Tuesday because of safety concerns, Richland Lexington School District 5 said in a statement.
Friday, students participated in a walk-out “to express frustrations with recent security concerns on campus,” the district said in a statement sent to parents. The walk-out became a crowd control issue as students moved toward St. Andrews Road, the district said.
School officials got students back into class before dismissal. No one was hurt and no property damaged, according to the district.
The statement did not give specifics about the “security concerns.”
Social media posts from students say the walk-out stemmed from school administrators not taking the students’ concerns seriously.
“Their voices are heard,” Superintendent Akil Ross said Friday at a news conference. But he said some students “took advantage” of their First Amendment rights.
Irmo High also had more fights than any school in the area last semester, including one that led to a shooting, according to police.
“Plans are in place to change school operations to address the increased needs of students,” the district said.
The district and school administrators will be refining school procedures during the virtual days.
At the news conference, Ross said Irmo High would create a new academy inside the school to serve students with “the highest needs” to address some of the concerns.
The school will have a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday to discuss concerns, the district said.
LR5 has a school board meeting Monday evening.