Empty desks, full outrage: DeSoto protest data shows significant participation
Dozens of outraged parents and residents confronted the DeSoto County school board Thursday, Oct. 16, demanding the immediate resignation of board member Michele Henley after her support of Lindsey Whiteside. (Brandon LaGrone II/The Daily Memphian file)
The parent-led school protest on Wednesday, Oct. 22 resulted in a measurable drop in student attendance, with the districtwide rate falling from an average of 92.47% to 85.12%, according to attendance data provided by DeSoto County Schools.
The data, provided under an open records request, confirms the protest, organized by the group DeSoto County Parents for Accountability, was a statistically significant event that involved thousands of students, the parents group said.
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Brandon LaGrone II
Brandon LaGrone Jr. is a Bluff City native who has earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from LSU’s Manship School. He’s written for publications including The (Baton Rouge) Advocate and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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