A handful of people gathered outside Enterprise City Hall March 21 to protest the handling of a situation, which resulted in the hospitalization of an Enterprise High School student.
Eric Brown claims teacher’s aid Michael Albert Conroy struck his son Eric Jamal (E.J) Brown, a special-needs student, in September of 2012.
Conroy has since left his position at EHS and is currently awaiting trial on a charge of harassment related to the incident.
School officials have confirmed that an incident did take place on Sept. 12.
“Enterprise City Schools has cooperated fully with local authorities and the individual in question is no longer an employee,” said ECS Superintendent Aaron Milner. “Out of respect of the legal process, I have no further comment at this time.”
Conroy’s harassment trial was scheduled for March 21, but was postponed by the presiding judge, which led the Brown family and other members of the community to organize the protest.
“Eric Jamal’s mother and father are seeking some kind of help for their son,” said Rev. Kenneth Glasgow, Founder of The Ordinary Peoples Society (TOPS). “Mental health institutions are closing all around the country and we have law enforcement officials and teachers in schools that have no training in dealing with mentally challenged people.”
Glasgow, the Brown family and a few others marched in front of city hall during the scheduled time for Conroy’s court appearance.
A new date has yet to be set for the trial.
Brown said despite the controversy, his son has returned to Enterprise High School since the incident.
“Hopefully the schools and the city will do the right thing in protecting our mentally challenged students,” Glasgow said. “You hear about things like this happening all across the country. This is something we’ve got to stop.”
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