D. Aileen Dodd

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Starling Elementary School parent was arrested on several charges, including felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer and criminal trespass, after she came to see her child’s Field Day competition, ignoring school edicts to stay off campus.

 

 

Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office Patricia Swilley

 

Patricia Swilley was sent criminal trespass warnings on May 10 and 13 informing her not to come to the Grayson school because she had repeatedly violated visitation rules, according to Gwinnett school officials.

“The school had had multiple issues with her in terms of not following directions,” said Sloan Roach, Gwinnett Schools spokeswoman. “The parent has a history of disrupting the school. She would attempt to enter the building without signing in. The principal has attempted to address this with this parent throughout this year.’’

A mugshot of Swilley showed her with a bloodied lip. Swilley's husband, who wouldn't identify himself when reached at home, said the family had no comment. 

Roach said arrests and trespass warnings are rare at Gwinnett Schools. Last fall, however, a Lawrenceville mom was issued a similar warning after she aggressively advocated for her Mason Elementary student with disabilities and violated school rules.

Swilley faces charges for criminal trespass, remaining on school property without cause, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and disruption of a public school, according to Gwinnett's Roach.

Swilley had appealed to Gwinnett school board members that she needed help during public comment at the monthly board meeting. She said her daughter was having trouble at Starling. Swilley also said she had had problems with the staff, but still wanted to attend school events.

On Wednesday, Swilley dropped off her daughter at school and was told she could not be on campus, but the woman returned at 9 a.m. and went to Field Day anyway, Roach said.

“Both the principal and police … provided multiple opportunities for her to leave without incident and she refused,” Roach said. “When a police officer asks you to do something, you need to do it.”

A scuffle ensued as police tried to arrest Swilley, and the woman and officers who tried to arrest her received minor injuries, Roach said.

“She resisted arrest,” Roach said. “She was transported to jail.”

Swilley later was released on a $9,600 bond, Gwinnett County Detention Center officials said late Wednesday.

Starling Principal Donna Ledford sent out a note to inform other parents of the public Field Day incident.

In her statement, Ledford said, "I am dismayed that students and parents had to witness this parent's behavior, her disregard for school officials and law enforcement officers, and her subsequent arrest. Both I and the police officers attempted to handle this situation in a manner that would have allowed this parent to leave the school on her own."