Organized On December 12, 2022 Virginia Beach, Virginia
                       First Meeting Held At McDonalds On Indian River Rd. 
 
 
 
 
 
 








             Second Meeting Held At Mr. Huntley's Home January 9, 2023 









Organizers have a total of 57 years with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, over 62 years of Military Service (Navy & Marine Corps) and 25 years of  Law Enforcement experience. 
 
Mission Statement:

The Mission of the Primary Chapter of The Movement (757) "It Still Takes A Village!" is to be an advocate for students of color and parents within our public school systems.  Our aim is to be an educational watchdog for our communities.  We will do this by holding teachers, administrators, counselors, school board members, and superintendents accountable for poor systemic practices as it pertains to our children.  We will accomplish this by supporting, showing up, and providing parents with the tools and necessary resources needed to ensure that the right outcome is reached.
Far too long has been the norm that our children are faced with harsh, unfair, unjust, unfounded, and unwarranted disciplinary actions administered by school divisions.  The Movement (757) is not designed to advocate for students who disciplinary actions measure up to the nature and cause of the offense.  But to ensure that the punishment is warranted and is justified.  We foster good behavior of our children who are the Future Generation of the world.  Our overall objective is to put a "Plug In The School To Prison Pipeline!"  

Vision Statement:

All students of color are treated fairly and justifiably when it comes to discipline while achieving at his or her maximum potential in a diverse, engaging , and challenging learning environment.

 

Meeting Dates:
December 12, 2022
January 9, 2023
January 25, 2023 (Zoom Meeting) 

January 17, 2024 (Zoom Meeting)

 

Cases & Results:

Tallwood H.S. (10-24-2022) - 10th grade male student was suspended from school and had been out of school for almost 30 days.  Parents had a meeting with the Office of Student Leadership and the decision was reached to place the student at Renaissance Academy High School (alternative school).  Parents appealed the decision and had a scheduled meeting with the School Board.   Mr. Huntley and Mr. Bates spoke on behalf of the student at the School Board Hearing.  The final outcome:  Members of the School Board overturned the decision of the Office of Student Leadership.  The student was permitted to return to his high school.

Letters of Appreciation:

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To Mr. Huntley & Mr. Bates:

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I wanted to personally  thank the two of you for everything you did to support my family and especially my son during our battle with the VA Beach school board Spring semester 2023.  Being witness to your mission to help support young black children develop despite the systematic roadblocks so they can thrive and achieve greatness was the most reassuring thing throughout the process. 

 

Your guidance was gentle, gracious; but very direct.  Thank you for your willingness to be interviewed by press and be seen by the public on behalf of my family.   Your diligence to communicate strategize and formulate the best plan to resolve the issues presented to my family were accurate; and I believe is what ultimately moved the school board to judge on our behalf. 

 

When Mr. Huntley speaks everyone must listen because he come with authority, wisdom and understanding.

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Sincerely,

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Mrs. Alicia Edwards

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Greetings Pastor Bobby Raye Huntley,

 

It is with the deepest gratitude that I rise up and call you blessed, for the selfless dedication to students under your leadership.

 

I praise God that my grandson Mateo was a member of your Gentlemen's Club Program at Kempsville Middle School and you got the opportunity to know his character as it reflected in his upbringing.

 

Because of your introduction to my Grandson Mateo, God chose you to be one of his character references when he was targeted by the principal of Tallwood High School, for what I believe to be the "School To Prison Pipeline."

 

It was through my Grandson Mateo's experience having overheard a student say that he was going to shoot students in the school, and haven reported the overheard threat to a guidance counselor, and assistant principal.  Having that information mishandled by the substitute teacher who asked Mateo why he was being repeatedly called to the principals office, which was inadvertently overheard by the students in the classroom who then called their parents.    

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After a brief conversation with Mateo, the principal upon hearing the situation decided that the incident caused a panic and that Mateo should be suspended.  He then changed the suspension to expulsion to Renaissance Academy (Alternative High school).

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My son Miguel which is Mateo's father was finishing up his Masters Degree, and so my daughter in love Alicia (Mateo's Mother) and I sprung into warrior mode and demanded a hearing.  I then called Rhoda Young Live, and she aired our segment in a timely fashion. 

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Alicia got a call from you Pastor Huntley after you viewed the segment and recognizing Alicia and hearing me mention the school to prison pipeline.  I had no idea that you had written a book recently on the same subject matter, and I was pleased to make your acquaintance.

 

Things then started to fall into place as a divine assignment, and as a result of your interest to speak on Mateo's behalf with your entourage of support, we showed up as a "powerful village" that exposed the underbelly of the school to prison pipeline and the absurdity of school board members who are carrying out a political agenda to nurture black and brown students to accept servitude to a sinister injustice system.  

 

Pastor Bobby Raye Huntley, it was through your eyewitness testimony captured employment in the public school system, that you were able to glean this valuable evidence for your book "The Shaping Of Our Future Generation: Putting A Plug In The School To Prison Pipeline" that God navigated the favorable outcome of Mateo's exoneration.

 

All Glory to God for bringing us together to fight this cause together to expose the insidious school policies that ensnare our children in the School to Prison Pipeline.  As a result of our divine assignment to fight on my grandson's behalf, God navigated the creation of a movement that will continue to spread the spotlight on the Public School Administration System's dirty little secrets to contaminate our school environment. 

 

Thus, The Movement (757) "It Still Takes A Village!" was created to address the issues parents and students are facing in the Public School System's.

 

Thank you Powerful Man Of God for allowing God to lead you to lead our organization.    

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May you ever be blessed

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Lovely Submitted:

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Ms. Wilhelmina H. Edwards

 

Larkspur M.S. (11-3-2022) - Mr. Huntley was notified of this situation concerning a 6th grade male student who was suspended from school while waiting to meet with the Office of  Student Leadership.  Prior to that meeting Mr. Huntley spoke with the parents several times and then put them in contact with Mrs. A. Edwards who shared with them her experience with the Office of Student Leadership and what to expect.  As a result of the meeting, the decision of the Office of Student Leadership was to suspend sending the 6th grade student to Renaissance Alternative School for three months as long as the student did not get into anymore trouble (January 28, 2023).         (A favorable outcome was rendered).
 

Corporate Landing M.S. (4-21-2023) - 7th grade student was suspended from school for almost 30 days and was facing total expulsion from school.  Mr. Huntley and Mr. Arrington spoke on behalf of the student at the Office of Student Leadership Meeting.  Afterwards, the Office of Student Leadership assigned the student to Renaissance Alternative School.    (A favorable outcome was rendered).
Letter of Appreciation:

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Good Afternoon,

 

I’m writing this letter of appreciation to Mr. Huntley, Mr. Arrington, and Mr. Bates.  It Takes A Village and they were the village and voice for my son Zayveon and I really appreciate that.  I called Mr. Huntley to help me with my son being that he helped me when I was in school and he kept me out of trouble.  I kept my head straight so I felt like he could help me with my son, and he did just that.

 

I feel as though the school had already given up on my son and looked at him as a problem child but.  Mr. Huntley and his team didn’t give up on him.  My son was recommended for expulsion from all public schools.  With the assistance of Mr. Huntley and his team it was dropped to long term suspension.  Zayveon is currently enrolled in Renaissance and doing very well.  If it wasn’t for Mr. Huntley and his team my son would be another statistic.

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I want to take this time to thank you again, I really appreciate you all for not giving up on Zayveon.

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Ms. Ariel King

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Seatack Elementary School. (1-17-2024) - 4th grade male student was serving a long term suspension for physically assaulting another male student while at lunch in the school's cafeteria.  In the student's eyes he was just horse playing around performing what he considered a (WWE) wrestling move.  Mr. Huntley, Mr. Bates, and Mr. Arrington all spoke at the hearing with both parents at the Office of Student Leadership.  On January 25, 2024, parents received a letter from the Office of Student Leadership stating that the student will be allowed to return back to school after an readmittance conference.  Student had missed three weeks of school before being allowed to return.  (A favorable outcome was rendered).  

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I am writing this testimonial out of extreme appreciation and gratitude to Mr. Huntley, Mr. Arrington, and Mr. Bates.  I reached out to Mr. Arrington at a time when I was overwhelmed and fighting feelings of despair.  I called to explain a situation that was going on with my son.  I have worked with troubled youth for over 10 years and provided crisis intervention to countless individuals.  However, when it came to my own son and the injustice that he encountered, I needed my own advocate.

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My son's assistant principal called me to advise that he engaged in a physical altercation with a student at his school.  In addition, due to allegations that he choked a child, expulsion was the recommended disciplinary outcome. 

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Mr. Huntley and his associates attended the disciplinary hearing in person and advocated for an appropriate discipline in lieu of expulsion.  By the end of the hearing, expulsion was no longer being considered and instead suspension was the result.  In addition, within one day of the hearing my son was back in school.

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My son is an honor student with no major incidents on his discipline record.  My emotions were elevated because I was in disbelief that my son with no major infractions was facing such a harsh penalty.

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Mr. Huntley and his associates kept me calm and grounded.  Their professionalism and expertise were evident and truly assisted with the outcome of my son's case.  Thank you all for your time and knowledge!

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Ms. Khadija R. Wilson

 

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