By COLLIN BREAUX
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include comments from Principal Ellen Grainger.
A video from student Jonei Gordon displays water puddles at the school, a water fountain that doesn’t work, stacks of building material in the school gym, and a bathroom with no stall.
A video from student Jonei Gordon displays water puddles at the school, a water fountain that doesn’t work, stacks of folded boxes in the school gym, and no bathroom stalls.
“We go to Vernon,” Gordon said while standing in front of rough-looking asphalt. “Of course this is everywhere around our campus.”
The phrasing is part of a social media video trend in which people “Of course we’re…” to demonstrate common but irritating behavior or trends.
“We go to Vernon,” Gordon said while standing in front of a construction vehicle on campus. “Of course this is just sitting around with the keys in it.”
Comments on the video expressed sympathy for students.
“I’m sorry this is what you all are dealing with,” former Principal Brian Riviere said.
User tamarataylor317 congratulated Jonei on posting the video.
“Squeaky wheels get heard,” tamarataylor317 said. “How embarrassing! Brave girl, go ahead on, expose the truths, Vernon always take a back seat to Chipley!”
Principal Ellen Grainger said “all items either have been addressed already or are in the process of being corrected.”
“School and District staff were already aware of the issues featured in the video,” Grainger said. “These are situations that schools face and deal with.”
A public post of the video on Facebook by Tenille Brock Fielding drew further outraged comments. Fielding said there has “been nothing but issues” since students moved into the new school in 2007.
“Shoddy workmanship and lack of maintenance has added to the issues,” Fielding said.
Mellisa La Pointe said the “kids deserve so much better.”
“(Washington County School District) has always treated Vernon like a 3rd world country,” Lee Richards said.
Staff Report