Asking For Support

To the Editor:

My name is Crystal Taylor, 20 yr. resident of Fayette County, and mother of Meadow Elizabeth Taylor-Marklin, a 16 yr. old Junior at La Grange High School. Meadow, among many things, is a highly accoladed student with a 4.9 GPA, member of The National Society of High School Scholars, UIL awarded, 4th yr. band student, year-round LG athlete, Leo Club volunteer, Girl Scout, with ZERO disciplinary infractions throughout her entire educational career.

However, LGISD has determined it necessary to place Meadow in the Alternative Education Program because her parents accidentally forgot an unopened case of beer in the trunk of a family vehicle that she drove to school on 5/18/23. Meadow was completely unaware, and never had any intention of violating any policies.

Per protocol, we filed a Level I Appeal, and were denied an appropriate and just consideration for Meadow’s personal character, academic achievements thus far, and most importantly, the harm an AEP placement would cause for her access to in-person instruction from her advanced curriculum teachers, involvement in any extracurriculars, potential educational advancement, and potential scholarship earnings for medical school.

We have now filed a Level II appeal, asking that we, as her parents, and guilty party to the offense, be the ones to endure whatever consequence deemed necessary by the district. I have been made aware of other families that faced circumstances similar to ours, in which students were undeservingly punished for their parents’ mistakes.

Do we really live in a society that allows our children to suffer these burdens because of a policy which does not allow individual consideration for the offense committed, and circumstances surrounding it?

I understand LGISD’s predicament given the policies set in place, but even a person facing murder charges is allowed a trial by jury, in which all the evidence of a particular situation is considered by a group of peers, before a judgement and consequence is determined.

We ask for our community’s help in seeking a reasonable conclusion to these unfortunate circumstances, and encouraging an amendment to the policies that can put our students in situations with less consideration than a common criminal.

I have no doubt that there are many parents and grandparents in our community that can relate and empathize with our situation and would want to help make the changes necessary to prevent this from becoming something they, or their loved ones, could face in the future. We ask that you please reach out to our school district, by phone or email, in support of this very important cause, and would greatly appreciate your support for Meadow in this difficult situation.