Hampton City Schools put out a robocall on February 28th where they attempted to diminish the impact of the student walkout and state that my assertions that they failed Celeste and my family were "factually incorrect." Then, they attempted to instruct parent to LIE to their kids about the facts surrounding the lockout without providing any context.
I have no reason to be anything but transparent with my community, so please find a link to all of my backup documentation that stuipulates everything that I have said from this point. That link can be found here and includes the forensic interview, emails from Nanci Reaves refusing our requests to move Celeste to another school, and HCS's caveat that in order for them to pay a measly $15/week in therapy costs, Celeste had to remain in Hampton City Schools so they could collect thousands of dollars from state and federal funding on her behalf.
The remise behind the walkout was ALWAYS to brng expanded support and attention to Celeste and their failures to protect her. Their statement that students did not know why they were walking out was obtuse, as kids all over the city made videos expressing their outrage at what HCS has done and their failures to protect the students in their care. Dr. Smith and the Hampton School Board can say that what I've said publicly is "factually incorrect," yet if I was such a liar, why haven't they sued me for defamation? I've said the same thing over and over again for TWO YEARS, yet all that HCS can communicate is "She's a liar and we won't provide any proof to stipulate that statement - you guys just had to believe us.'
The failures of HCS and the Hampton Commonwealth Attorney's Office are exhaustive and glaring. They must be held to task and the kids of our city MUST be protected.