School district to work with Soddy-Daisy students to improve school culture

Soddy-Daisy baseball coach Jared Hensley laughs after the home plate conference during their prep baseball game against Rhea County at Soddy-Daisy High School on Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.
Soddy-Daisy baseball coach Jared Hensley laughs after the home plate conference during their prep baseball game against Rhea County at Soddy-Daisy High School on Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.

Hamilton County Schools leaders plan to work with students at Soddy-Daisy High School to improve the culture and climate of the school after weeks of upheaval due to athletic director and assistant principal Jared Hensley's controversial remarks in a video broadcast to the student body.

In the video, broadcast to the entire student body while addressing a dress code policy on athletic shorts (which students are not allowed to wear at the school), Hensley said, "If you really want someone to blame, blame the girls. Because they pretty much ruin everything. They ruin the dress code, they ruin well, ask Adam. Look at Eve. That's really all you really gotta get to, OK. You can really go back to the beginning of time. So, it'll be like that the rest of your life. Get used to it, keep your mouth shut, suck it up [and] follow the rules."

On Thursday, the district announced that Hensley would not be fired and would return to his position after a ten-day, unpaid administrative leave.

He will be required to complete a professional growth plan,sensitivity training and Title IX training, according to the district.

School leaders also plan to hold formal discussions with students to hear their views on the culture of the high school.

After the video featuring Hensley went viral, backlash and uproar came from those in support of Hensley and those who felt that his comments were inappropriate.

"This has required all of us to take a long hard look at ourselves and reflect on what we can learn from this incident," said Steven Henry, principal at Soddy-Daisy High, in a statement. "We want to work with our students to create a positive and healthy school culture."

Both Henry and Hensley issued official apologies for Hensley's comments.

Naikiyon Hughley, a sophomore, said students needed to come together in the aftermath of the controversy that caught national attention.

"I believe that Soddy-Daisy High School should come together as a whole to stop the negativity," Hughley said in a statement. "We need to start caring more about individuals and decisions people make because it impacts us as a whole."

Karen Glenn, director of the STARS (Students Taking a Right Stand) program for Hamilton County Schools, will bring together student government representatives and students from other groups for formal discussions on their experience at the high school.

"I wish students would be more aware of the impact each individual's decision has on others," said Annabelle Sapp, junior class president, in a statement.

Lily Caldwell, also a junior, added, "We need to learn that we are Soddy-Daisy High School and we, as a whole, can keep us going strong."

Contact staff writer Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.

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