Community leaders question CMCSS on lack of student access to inauguration coverage

A Multi-Cultural Coalition of leaders from the community and the Clarksville NAACP will meet with the Clarksville-Montgomery County  Director of Schools, Mr. Michael Harris, at 3 p.m. Monday, January 26, to discuss the recent policy disseminated system wide by email that prevented a significant majority of students from viewing the Historic Inauguration of President Barack Obama.

Many students and parents assumed they would watch the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama in class Tuesday but were shocked, disappointed and upset about the majority of classes in which the inauguration wasn’t shown.

Pastor Tommy Vallejos, a community activist and Pastor at Faith Outreach Church, made this passionate statement to the media, community and school system.

“This is a historic event that will never happen again. Kids in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East got to see this, but kids in Clarksville, Tenn., United States of America, didn’t get to see it.

“We have guest speakers, we have sports pep rallies, and this event isn’t more important than that? We couldn’t take 15 minutes to see the president take the oath of office? Whether you support him or not isn’t the point. It’s history in the making.” ~~ Pastor Tommy Vallejos

A press conference is scheduled to take place immediately following the 3:00 p.m. meeting with the Director of Schools.

The coalition leaders include:

• Pastor Tommy Vallejos, Director, Hispanic Organization for Progress & Education (H.O.P.E.)
• Jimmie Garland, Sr., President, Clarksville NAACP
• Terry McMoore, Director, Urban Resource Center
• Pastor Jerry Jerkins, Director, Private Citizens Advocates (PCA)
• Robert Brooks, President, Tennessee Korean American Federation.