Culinary instructor tells board Madison County High students are 'out of control'

Mona Kelly, a culinary arts instructor at the high school, told the Madison County School Board during public comment that "the high school students are out of control" and that students are "walking the halls with no respect whatsoever".

"When a student can hit a teacher or curse a teacher and there's no consequences, it's going to happen again," Kelly said, urging trustees to walk the halls and see student behavior firsthand.

The comment came during the board's public-comment period, which the chair opened by explaining the district's three-minute speaking rule. Board members thanked Kelly for speaking and invited further follow-up; the chair encouraged trustees to visit the high school and hear directly from staff and students about discipline and behavior concerns.

The board did not take formal action based on the comment during the meeting. The public-comment exchange concluded with the board thanking Kelly for coming forward and noting they would consider her concerns as part of ongoing discussions about discipline and school climate.