Director of WCS addresses board on Greenfield School threat

Story by Shannon Taylor Senior Investigative Reporter

Director of Weakley County Schools, Randy Frazier, addressed the incident that happened Thursday, April 6 at Greenfield Schools by stating that Greenfield Chief of Police Danny Smith received a call that there was a student on site with a gun. Law enforcement was immediately notified, and the Weakley County Sheriff’s Department came to assist Greenfield Police Department.

Frazier said, “This wasn’t a completely false report, but it was an inaccurate report.” Frazier explained that a student noticed what they thought was a gun in another students backpack and reported it. The student in question was pulled aside and searched and in his bag was a “huge brush that folded over with an enormous black handle on the bottom part of the brush.”

Frazier stated that while it wasn’t an actual threat, they were happy that the student reported it and that they were thankful for the SRO Officer, Greenfield PD and WCSD who arrived immediately and handled the situation well.

Frazier reminded everyone about the panic that ensued a week prior in Nashville and that, “Parents were coming to the building to dismiss their children and we all understand that, but when we do have an event or something we’re investigating the number one priority is what is happening in that building at that point, the safety of the students, safety of the staff and whatever investigation takes place. As much as we want to get communication out, until we know the real facts, sometimes that takes a little bit of time. Secondly, in the event that we ever have something at school, everyone coming at one time hampers the work of the law enforcement officials. Hopefully we’ll never have a situation like Nashville has. It wasn’t a false report, it was an inaccurate report, and everyone did what they were supposed to do, and it allows us the chance now to step back and look at what we did that day and debrief with our folks and we’re also going to have a debriefing with law enforcement on Tuesday.”

It is telling that Frazier took the opportunity to discuss this particular incident at the school board meeting when he has not done so the past year when incidents have happened at schools that concerned the community. In August of 2022 there was a snapchat sent to students saying that a school in Dresden would be shot up, earlier this year there was a “kill list” in the Dresden High School bathroom and the incident of a DHS SRO Officer arrested for statutory rape of a student—none of which Frazier ever addressed at any school board meeting thus far.

The Press reached out to Frazier regarding this, and he responded, “When a media release is sent from my office about a school incident, I personally contact each board member, inform them of the event, and answer any questions they may have.   Most of my day yesterday was consumed by dealing with the Greenfield incident and I was unable to inform the board members about the event.  Prior to last night’s meeting, most of the board members had no knowledge that there had been an incident at Greenfield School.  I was not “choosing” to address community concerns with the comments that I made.   To my knowledge there was not a single Greenfield parent in attendance at the board meeting.  The comments I made during my Superintendent report was the first time I was able to communicate with the board about the Greenfield School incident.   Mr. Cupples directly communicated with all Greenfield parents about yesterday’s incident.”

However, it was not only Greenfield parents concerned regarding the incident at Greenfield—many people from all over the County contacted the Press expressing their concerns.

Parents even reached out to the Press stating that they had requested to be put on the agenda via written requests for this school board meeting regarding the SRO arrested and questions regarding other staff at DHS and that no one ever got back to them so their concerns could be heard. Frazier responded, “We have not received a written request from any parent to be put on the board agenda.  I did receive a call from one person asking how they could request to be put on the agenda.  I explained to them the school board policy for requesting to be put on the agenda.” The Press is still waiting to hear back from the parents who said they filed a written request earlier last month.

After Frazier was done addressing the Greenfield incident, school board member John Hatler said, “Outside of the shenanigans going on in Nashville today, you said something about finding money for SROs statewide. How would that affect us potentially?”

The Press reached out to Hatler for clarification on what he meant by “shenanigans” and he responded, “I believe the good people of Weakley County who support and follow public education in the state know what “shenanigans going on in Nashville” meant.”

After the Covenant Christian school shooting last week which killed six people, three of them children, prompted over 10,000 students and teachers along with three TN Representatives to peacefully protest for gun control measures. The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a resolution for expulsion of all three representatives. Two of the three Representatives were expelled.

Frazier responded to Hatler’s question regarding money for SRO’s by saying that they didn’t have all the details yet but that Governor Bill Lee has a bill to provide funding for more SRO Officers and mental health workers and that the funding includes schools, private schools and schools who do not have SRO Officers.

Frazier said his assumption was that Weakley County already pays for their SRO Officers and that he thinks that the money would be used for schools that don’t have them. “I would hope not. I would hope that our county would get that money.” Frazier encouraged everyone to contact their local representatives and share their concerns.

Also on the agenda was the approval of the school board policy for enrollment in advanced and college level courses and this was approved on the second reading unanimously.

The next school board meeting will be held on Thursday, May 4 at Gleason School.