Spring break in Fulton will be disrupted by a comprehensive investigation after middle school physical education teachers conducted a class survey that left some parents and students upset.
Last week, the teachers led an activity called "Claim It," in which students were read various statements about their identity, and if the statement applied to a student's life, he or she stepped forward in a line, according to the "Claim It" activity materials provided by Fulton Public Schools.
The 100-statement activity, which has been referred to as a survey, includes more elementary statements like "You believe ghosts are real" and "You have never been on a plane." Other statements read "You have tried alcohol" and "Your parents are divorced."
But sensitive statements raising concerns include: "You or someone in your family has been raped or sexually assaulted," "You have ever been physically abused by someone who said they love you," "You worry or have worried about how your family will pay the bills," and "Someone in your family has been addicted to alcohol or drugs."
In an email sent to middle school parents, Superintendent Jacque Cowherd apologized for "any stress it has caused" children and their families.
"The activity is designed to be welcoming and inclusive so students don't feel isolated and alone," a school district release said. "It is never the intent to make any student feel unwelcome or uncomfortable."
Cowherd said he was told the students could respond on a voluntary basis, but students may have felt obligated to participate.
"It was stressed to me at one point it was voluntary, but at the same token when you're dealing with young kids, they don't see that as voluntary," he said.
April Bilyeu, whose daughter is a sixth-grade student, said the incident has caused stress in her home since Friday. Her daughter has had crying spells throughout the past few days and expressed that she didn't want to return to school. She said her daughter was upset for her friends who stepped forward when teachers read more sensitive statements.
Bilyeu's daughter told her teachers asked the students not to talk about the activity outside of class. "You know you're doing something wrong when you ask them not to discuss (the activity) outside of class," the mother said said.
Pam Hendrix also has a sixth-grade daughter who came home worried over "Claim It." She said her daughter told her some students broke down crying during the activity and several went to the counselor's office afterward.
"It's more upsetting for (my daughter) because she saw some of her friends put in situations she didn't want to see," Hendrix said.
The activity continued after the first hour class, but Cowherd said certain statements were removed after children expressed their problems with it.
"I was told by the principal that some of the questions were removed after some students raised concerns," Cowherd said. "All of the kids may have participated in a generic survey, except questions other students were upset over."
Cowherd said Assistant Superintendent Suzanne Hull will be setting up interviews with teachers. He added investigations are typically conducted before an email is sent to parents so they can be informed of as many details as possible, but spring break has caused difficulties in reaching faculty.