More security promised after disruptions at Gwinnett County school board meetings

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County School police are promising more enforcement and security after disruptions at recent board meetings.

School police told Channel 2′s Tony Thomas that they’ve been poring over video from last month’s meeting and will issue two criminal trespass warnings to the people involved if they show up at this month’s meeting -- and more actions are promised.

“Am I afraid? Hell yeah. Who wouldn’t be? I know how dangerous these folks are and the SROs are acting like this isn’t serious,” Gwinnett resident Ann LaFavor told Thomas.

She filed one of a handful of complaints being investigated by school police. The district said Friday that it would be release a list of expectations for upcoming meetings and any further disruptions will be dealt with.

In May, a large group of parents came to the school board meeting and refused to wear masks. The meeting was moved to another room as protesters remained and celebrated.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Prosecutors: Suspect in stabbing of pregnant woman in Brookhaven had 12 previous arrests in GA
• 5 men arrested for attempting to meet girls under 16 for sex, police say
• EXCLUSIVE: Alleged top organizer of metro street racing events arrested at Atlanta airport

“The reason a lot of people aren’t wearing masks here is they feel it’s compliance that’s being forced on them,” said Tom Pennington, who attended the meeting.

Gwinnett solicitor Brian Whiteside said he wants to see criminal charges filed if possible. Whiteside worries about the next meeting.

“The most important thing is you act when you see a criminal act occurring, or we wouldn’t be in this position,” Whiteside said.

“You believe there was a criminal act?” Thomas asked Whiteside.

“From what I’ve spoken to people about, seen, it’s a possibility,” Whiteside said.

“Should the district handle it differently this month?” Thomas asked LaFavor.

“Oh they better handle it differently,” LaFavor said.

While LaFavor and other complain school police didn’t react quick enough, administrators said police did deescalate the situations.

Administrators told Thomas that additional police will be on duty at the next meeting.

Parent group takes out full-page ad to urge Gwinnett BOE to drop mask mandate for students The same group interrupted the school board meeting last week, refusing to put on masks when asked to do so.

©2021 Cox Media Group