Macon County's First Black Principal Talks Integration, Racism And COVID-19

Students started back to school last month amidst the uncertain world of COVID-19 and a racial justice movement across America. Franklin resident Shirley Parks remembers her own uncertain days as a student during integration in Macon County and much later in 2011 as the first Black principal in the county since integration. Parks worked in the Macon County School System for 33 years . She says its hard to watch children and parents struggling with the current COVID-19 pandemic. "No one is winning right now either way, so we just have to do what we can with what we have, with the training that the teachers are doing, and they are out there for the students. And I know that the parents are struggling to - especially the ones that have to go back to work so that you aren't there to help your little one... I was just thinking last night I'm so glad that I don't have to go through this, but you know overall, if I was I would be working just as hard as the rest of them. I'm just glad to be