A recording submitted to an Attala County court shows school officials questioning the legality of a strip search of high school students. The recording captures a meeting with school resource officer LeRoy Wise, principal Dietrich Harmon, and coach Kenyon Ross, a parent said Wednesday.
The recording, authenticated under oath by the parent, was made the day after at least seven students were allegedly strip-searched at McAdams High School in February. The parents claim Wise made the boys strip naked and expose their genitals for inspection after a vape detector went off in a bathroom.
In the recording, Wise suggests the search might not have been legal. Mississippi Today could not confirm Wise’s employment status with the district. Harmon remains the principal at McAdams High School.
The parents filed a federal lawsuit June 15 against Wise, Harmon, and Superintendent Rhyne Thompson, alleging civil rights violations and policies that were broken. The lawsuit follows reports that the teenage boys were escorted from a bathroom, made to strip, and examined without contraband found.
The district has not commented publicly on the recording but acknowledged receipt of the lawsuit in a brief statement. Attorneys for the district and officials deny any wrongdoing, claiming Wise’s actions did not violate constitutional rights or breach training protocols.
Some parents say their children’s behavior has changed since the incident. One mother, Arma Cooper, withdrew her son from McAdams High to enroll him in a private Christian school, citing concerns over safety and a desire to protect him from further harm. Other parents have kept their children in the district for logistical reasons, despite concerns.
Cooper, who previously taught at the school and had her own experiences with abuse there in the 1980s, said she hopes for justice. She expressed frustration with district leadership, asserting that accountability remains elusive and that the incident reflects a broader pattern of neglect and misconduct in the district.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
