Off Highway 57
Lucedale, MS 39452

My experience with GCSD has been a good one so far. My daughter has been going there since 3rd grade, and she's in 10th grade now, and is in their honors class programs. She has motivated her boyfriend to get great grades too- the school fosters learning, and the teachers have seemed very competent thus far!

Students recorded my daughter being jumped by 5 other girls in the bathroom. Other students later, reluctantly and afraid of being hurt themselves, and shared other recordings and texts of this replanned jump by a gang of girls. The other girls had been threatened by the bullies to jump them next. I had faith in this school to protect the students so I reassured these other girls if they shared the footage the violence would end. I shared the footage with the school, and they did absolutely nothing. I climbed all the way to top officials and all video and social media footage submissions were ignored. I quoted their own handbook and asked if they were going to protect my child and the other children as threats continued from the bullies. I even got the police involved to protect my child. It came down to this small town and the people over our children’s safety doesn’t have our best interest in mind and they thought the best thing to do was nothing. Even though one audio following the jump stated these girls intended to “stomp my daughters head in”. This is a very violent and scary school since the principals and those in charge of our children’s safety just don’t care. I have now met other parents that have had to take their children also out of this school because of violence. We moved to this small town for the safety a small town could offer, but hiding in this quaint town is a school that brings the Los Angeles gang feel.

Benndale Elementary is a great school with wonderful teachers. The only down side is DRAMA!!! I am a 6th grader there and their is tons of drama. Don't get me wrong I LOVE this school. I was raised here. I love it so much and having a lot of friends to back you up is a major plus.