- December 16, 2025
The School Board will discuss ways to strengthen anti-gang initiatives at its next workshop.
Following an April 30 shooting at Ralph Carter Park, in Palm Coast, School Board member Colleen Conklin is interested in strengthening the district’s anti-gang efforts.
“The community is an indicator of things spilling into our streets and into our schools,” she told the board at its Tuesday, May 1, meeting.
Johnnie Thomas Jr., 18, of Bunnell, was arrested April 30 for firing a .32-caliber handgun six times into a crowd at Ralph Carter Park, following an argument. In response to the shooting, Conklin wants to create a task force which will analyze the problem of teen gangs and brainstorm solutions.
One solution could be creating in-school awareness campaigns, she suggested. Another could be retooling Pathways Academy.
Conklin said that one of the major problems with gangs is that “there’s this environment about not wanting to be a snitch.” And some students, she added, have never even heard of Columbine. But if students became more aware, she argued, they might understand better what could happen when they fail to report shady behavior.
“There are a lot of people who don’t even think we have an issue,” she said. “First of all — we do. … (But) I don’t think it’s something that the schools can solve alone.”
According to Director of Student Services Katrina Townsend, a group of school administrators meet on Monday mornings with Corporal Don Apperson who reviews the events and issues from the weekend.
Conklin was not aware the group even existed. “And if I don’t know about it, the community certainly doesn’t know about it,” she said. “We have to have a proactive conversation on how to tackle this issue.”
Through an “aggressive” approach to gang activity, Conklin hopes to create an atmosphere in Flagler schools that allows students to feel comfortable sharing information with administrators.
“After the tragedy of Columbine, there was this push for awareness ... and I just don’t think that we’ve revisited that message enough,” she said.
“Ultimately, every single student and every adult … if they know of an incident that is going to take place, it is their obligation to share that information.”
At the board’s next workshop, May 15, it will hear a presentation from Townsend about what is currently being done to prevent gangs and brainstorm new ideas.
“Whatever (we’re doing) is not working. So what proactive ideas can we come up with to address this problem?” Conklin asked the board. “We’ve got to get a handle on it.”
Rumor has it
At 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 2, school administrators got wind of a rumor of a possible gang conflict to occur at Flagler Palm Coast High School Friday, May 4. According to Director of Student Services Katrina Townsend, at 11:01 a.m. the same day, staff started interviewing students.
“We have interviewed over 300 students,” she said. “(The rumor) appears to be completely unrelated (to gangs).”
Still, three additional Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies were indefinitely assigned to the high school campus May 2. Townsend also issued a phone message to parents, explaining that “At this time, we have found no validity to these rumors,” and that all schools will “maintain (their) normal daily routines.”
According to Townsend, the rumor was initially started by a small group of students who thought that it could result in a free day off school.
“Then it went out on Facebook and then on text,” she added. “It kind of spread a little bit like wildfire.”
But, ultimately, a rumor is just a rumor, Townsend explained. High school stuff.
“Except for the increased presence around the campus,” she said, “it’s just business as usual.”
No students have been disciplined at this time.
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