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VOL. 116 NO. 43 Millen, Ga. 30442 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY SINCE 1903
Wednesday, April 26, 2023 * 750
School photo subject of complaints
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
A school project has created a fire
storm of criticism on social media,
caught the attention of several area
television stations, and prompted ex
planations and apologies from school
officials.
The incident started last week with
a “Think Outside the Box” activity
in celebration of “Green Week.” Stu
dents were encouraged to leave their
back packs at home and carry their
books in another container. Numerous
photos of the students’ creations were
published on the JCMS/JCHS Parent
Connection page on Facebook.
One of the photos began receiving
complaints of “racism.” The photo
depicted four white students with a
black trash can decorated with facial
features and a sign with the name
“Shanequa” on it.
In a letter posted on the Facebook
site, JCMS/JCHS Principal Rob Gray
said, “After reviewing the pictures,
one of the displays was inappropriate
and removed from the Parent Connec
tion Facebook site. After a thorough
review by our internal team, we have
begun the process of creating new
procedures and protocols to prevent
this situation from happening again.”
Superintendent Tara Cooper also
addressed the issue on the Facebook
site.
“We would like to formally apolo
gize to those that were hurt and of
fended by the incident. Unfortunately,
we cannot take back what happened.
There are things that can be done,
however, and we are making those
plans. Our staff will be participating
in diversity and sensitivity training.
We will endeavor to discuss, share and
learn to be conscious of actions that
could be harmful to each
other. Respect for differ- SEE
ences, understanding and PHOTO,
tolerance goes a long way 8
At right, pho
to posted on
school social
media page
that ignited a
host of com
plaints of “rac
ism”.
EMS replaces AED at Jenkins County Recreation Department
Wendell Clark, Jenkins County Recreation Department director, is shown with a new
Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) donated by Jenkins County Emergency Medical
Services (EMS). The new unit will replace the AED now used at the department. An AED
is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac
arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and is able to
treat them through defibrillation, the application of electricity that stops the arrhythmia,
allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm. Henry Young, EMS director, said
his department will replace AED devices at other locations as new units are obtained.
Accident claims life
of Millen woman
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
A collision between a passenger
vehicle and an 18-wheeler resulted
in the death of Christie Dykes, 57
of Perkins. The accident took place
Friday, April 21, at 7:48 a.m. on the
Millen By-pass.
A Georgia State Patrol accident
report indicates that Dykes was trav
eling south across the intersection of
GA-21 on Perkins Road in a 1995
GMC Sierra C1500 when she failed
to yield the right-of-way. Her vehicle
was struck on the driver’s side by
an Averitt Express Inc. truck driven
by Stacy Torance Leathers of North
Carolina. The truck was traveling west
on GA-21. Upon colliding the two
vehicles became attached and traveled
approximately 57 feet before coming
to an uncontrolled stop on GA-21.
Leathers, who was not injured in the
accident, left 68 feet of skid marks on
the highway from the front two tires
of the truck, the GSP report states.
Dykes was employed by Jenkins
County as a custodian at the Jenkins
County Courthouse.
Three inmates injured in an altercation at Jenkins Correctional Center Mon
day afternoon were treated at Jenkins County Medical Center. Subsequently,
two were airlifted by helicopters to an Augusta hospital and another trans
ported by ambulance to a Statesboro hospital.
Fight at Jenkins Correctional
Center injures four inmates
At approximately 4:06 p.m. Mon
day, April 24, facility staff members
at the Jenkins County Correctional
Center were alerted to a fight involv
ing four inmates. Facility security
and medical staff responded immedi
ately and confronted the inmates that
were involved in the incident.
Emergency medical services (EMS)
were also immediately called to the
facility. EMS arrived and
transported three of the SEE
individuals to the Jenkins FIGHT,
County Medical Center for 3
Dr. John Paul Hearn finalist for School Superintendent
The Jenkins County Board of Edu
cation has announced that assistant
superintendent Dr. John Paul Hearn
is the sole finalist for the position of
superintendent for the Jenkins County
School System.
Jenkins County Board of Educa
tion (BOE) chairman Mary Young
made the announcement at the end of
the school board’s meeting Monday
evening.
“It has always been the respon
sibility of the BOE to search for a
superintendent,” she said. “We chose
not to do a superintendent search by
an outside source. We, as a board, are
very pleased to make a recommen
dation as our sole finalist, with full
support, John Paul Hearn, the current
assistant superintendent to be our next
superintendent.”
Young noted that Hearn has worked
closely with Superintendent Tara
Cooper for several years and is very
familiar with the policies and proce
dures that have been put in place. For
that reason, Young said the school
system can move forward seamlessly.
Hearn has worked in the Jenkins
County School System for the last
17 years, and was most recently
named assistant superintendent. He
began his career as a Jenkins County
Middle School (JCMS) Social Studies
teacher in 2005. In 2011, he became
an assistant principal where he served
for 7 years. He was named federal
programs director at the central office,
then later assistant superintendent. He
has served as a coach for several years
and can be seen occasionally driving
a bus as well!
Hearn has a Bachelor of Science
degree in Education, a master’s degree
and an education specialist degree in
educational leadership. He has com
pleted his work and will graduate with
his doctorate in educational leader
ship from the University of Georgia
this May.
“We have such a wonderful, won
derful community here at Jenkins
County Schools,” Young said. “We
could not be any more pleased to
take someone who has worked in
the schools and at the central office,
knows where we are going and is fully
informed with what this board wants,
needs and is expecting. We believe
that Dr. Hearn is the best choice to
keep this train going.”
The board members agreed that it
was a bonus to be able to promote
from the inside someone who is al
ready a respected leader that under
stands what SEE
the school SUPERINTENDENT,
system needs. „
Dr. John Paul Hearn
