Great Falls Elementary fifth graders who were on their way to becoming sixth graders and entering the Great Falls Middle/High complex recently took a field trip to their new school. While at the new school they received some motivational bracelets, but apparently, some had messages that were inappropriate for school.
Great Falls Elementary Principal Dr. Tammy Taylor said in a letter to parents posted Monday evening, ‘I am reaching out to you this evening to apologize that some of your children may have received a bracelet that contained inappropriate messaging. Great Falls High School’s administration has been made aware that this bracelet — was distributed to some of our students ... and has profusely apologized for this oversight.’
Dr. Taylor explained, ‘The bracelets the school. purchased were motivational for students ... and therefore, no one would have anticipated there would be bracelets that contained messaging that is inappropriate for children — and definitely inappropriate for school.’
Dr. Taylor advised parents if their child had received one of the bracelets that contained an inappropriate message, they could bring it to school on Tuesday and exchange it for a bracelet provided by Great Falls High School Principal Dr. Jamal Sanders.
Dr. Taylor closed the letter with, ‘Once again, please accept this apology on behalf of myself and the Great Falls High School administration ... as we would never do anything that could be perceived as disrespectful to our schools, our district, or this great community.’
Great Falls High School included much of the same details in their social media post, adding, ‘Once again, we deeply apologize for any distress this incident may have caused. We remain committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all our students. Your trust and confidence in us are of utmost importance, and we will continue to work diligently to earn and maintain it. #BetterTodayGF’
The statement from the Chester County School District reads: ‘The motivational bracelets came in an assorted bulk package that was purchased by the school. One of the bracelets said, “Be Brave, Be Strong, Be Badass.” This was unbeknownst to school officials when the bracelets were purchased. ‘Upon further investigation, school officials have confirmed that only one of the bracelets was received by a student.
‘Chester County School District formally apologizes for this oversight, and has been advised by the school that steps have been taken to keep situations such as this from repeating in the future. The school will also will be providing additional support to students, including counseling services or any other necessary assistance to help them cope with any emotional or psychological impact resulting from this incident. Parents are encouraged to contact the District Office should they have any additional questions or concerns on this matter.’
