MARTINSVILLE — A long MSD of Martinsville school board meeting, filled with occasionally tense discussion about where grant funding comes from, ended in tears last Thursday after a Martinsville teacher gave an impassioned plea for more mental health services for the district’s students during the public comment.

The meeting was most contentious during discussion of whether or not to accept grant money from Sources of Strength, a nonprofit organization dedicated to suicide prevention. 

Board member Dan Conway was opposed to accepting the grant money on account of some of Sources of Strength’s sponsors, which include CNN and the National Institute of Health (NIH). He said these institutions were at odds with the conservative nature of Martinsville.

MSD of Martinsville Superintendent Eric Bowlen countered that the nonprofit’s sponsors were inconsequential, since it was still up to the school board to use the grant as the district sees fit. 

Despite Conway’s objections, all of the other board members voted to accept the grant, and the grant money was ultimately approved.

During the public comment, Shannon Adams, a science teacher at MSD of Martinsville who gave a presentation on STEM earlier in the meeting, spoke before the board about the need to adopt more mental health services for the community’s children. Through tears, she recounted how she’d been to the funerals of students who had taken their own lives and subtly voiced disagreement with Conway about the Sources of Strength grant.

“I appreciate the research on where funding comes from, I do that, too,” Adams said. “And it is my honest opinion that the National Institute of Health is a very reputable organization.”

“I ask you to please do everything in your power to put as many mental health services in front of our children as possible,” Adams said.

Multiple board members were left in tears after Adams’ comments, with board member Jacque Deckard offering her support to Adams.

In other news

• The board approved the adoption of the Morgan County Multi-Hazard Mitigation resolution. The resolution will make Martinsville eligible to receive FEMA hazard mitigation grants.
• The board recognized the district’s spelling bee champions and runner-ups at the beginning of the meeting. The room was packed with the students and their families as their achievements were honored. Each student was given a medal by Bowlen and board president Matt Hankins.
• The board gave approval for Martinsville High School to get updated Chromebooks for students and staff to replace the current models, which are nearly five years old.
• Approval was given to Paragon Elementary for a tornado siren installation.

The next MSD of Martinsville school board meeting will take place March 21 at 7 p.m. at the Central Education Center.

~ By Jared Quigg | Reporter | Published February 22, 2024 in The Morgan County Correspondent