DeSoto County parents demand answers on prisoners working near school

ARCADIA, Fla.- Parents of West Elementary School students are demanding answers, wanting to know why state prisoners were working just steps away from their children.

“It is very concerning and it makes you want to pull your children out of school,” said Debby Taylor, a concerned grandparent.

“It’s an issue, it definitely needs to be raised. I don’t know if our superintendent knew about it,” said Steven King.

The superintendent of DeSoto County Schools and the principal of West Elementary say they had no idea state prisoners were near the school on Monday, working on fixing a damaged walking path.

“I wasn’t aware until, towards the end of the day,” said Principal Bertie Alvarez.

School leaders argue, kids are protected by a fence with barbed wire.

“The inmates were segregated from the school site and you can see by the fence here, there is a clear segregation from the 6-foot fence and barbed wire on top of that,” said Steve Cummings, director of facilities for DeSoto County Schools.

School leaders say inmates have worked next to the school in the past, but parents are still asking to be made aware of what’s happening around their kids.

The Department of Corrections says inmates are allowed to work at the school as long as no kids are outside. However, following parental concerns made to the school board, the DOC will meet to reassess the policy.