Teachers not returning after 'Most Likely to Not Pay Attention' award
ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. - Two Memorial Middle School teachers will not be returning next school year, according to a school spokesperson, after a teenage girl with ADHD received a school award for "Most Likely to Not Pay Attention."
Nicole Edwards said her 14-year-old daughter received the award at a school assembly Tuesday. Rockdale County Public Schools spokesperson Cindy Ball confirmed to FOX News on Thursday the two teachers directly involved "will not be returning to RCPS for the next school year."
"I feel like it was very derogatory, I feel like it was humiliating and this was held as an assembly with the school," said Nicole Edwards.
Edwards said when her 8th grader came home with the award, she learned that her daughter was initially voted as "most likely to ask a question that has already been answered" something that she thought was very inappropriate. After seeing "Most likely to not pay attention" written towards the bottom of her daughter's trophy, she became even angrier.
"You guys are calling me when you're having problems with her in school when you're having problems with her not paying attention or not getting it and then you give her an award for it," said Edwards. "Why call me to discipline her, but yet you turn around and give her an award for it, it doesn't make sense."
Rockdale County Public Schools initially issued a statement to FOX 5 on Wednesday which read in part:
"I can assure you that Rockdale County Public Schools will not condone anything that may cause student embarrassment or humiliation."
"Someone needs to investigate and make sure it never happens to another student again," said Edwards.
Edwards said her daughter is doing well, but as a mother, she is deeply hurt by what happened. Edwards wants future trophies to be approved by top school officials.