Emery Temple - A Special Exception to School Zoning

In May of this year, Emery Temple, an exceptional 11-year-old and gifted student of Riverdale was the victim of a 4 car pile up in Memphis. After a few weeks at Le Boehner Children's hospital, he survived but was sent home to start his long recuperation from brain damage. His Mother, Kelly Temple is a single Mom, who took time off of work for several months in order to nurture Emery and take him to multiple therapy session every week. They had to start with everyday tasks and relearning things like "why he needs to take OFF his clothes in order to take a shower". Then there were physical and cognitive therapies as well.

The family had received noticed from GMSD back in March, alerting them to the fact that they would not be able to return to Riverdale due to zoning of their Cordova home, now falling into the Memphis school district. However, after the accident, Kelly immediately reached out to the school district to request a SPECIAL EXCEPTION for her son, since his whole world was shattered and he was relearning simple survival concepts. She requested that Emory is allowed to stay in Riverdale for his mental and emotional recovery.

NOTE: Recommendations from football coaches, physical and cognitive therapists AND his Neurologist were all submitted for added documentation in favor of keeping him at the same school he's been attending since 1st grade.

After waiting all summer and one week into the school year, Kelly finally heard back from Jason Manuel's office on Monday, 8/14 advising the family to go forward and register at a new school. This is not only disheartening, it is unimaginable for the school district to prolong the stress, anticipation, and despair this family had undergone for no good explanation whatsoever.

Please join us in signing a petition to show GMSD board of directors that they MUST reverse their decision on behalf of Emory's recovery and development.

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