Public talk of the troubles at Robert Lewis Middle School was nothing more than a passing update from the superintendent at Thursday’s regular board meeting.

The crowd of community members wasn’t there, and only a few outside the district’s staff attended the meeting.

“We are still in the process of assessing,” Superintendent Anthony Morris said.

He said the investigations and assessment process is not moving as quickly as he’d like, but it’s an ongoing process.

Troubles at the school started with a community meeting early last week that brought a crowd of approximately 200. Though the meeting was aimed at discussing the future restructuring of the school due to No Child Left Behind regulations, audience members took the opportunity to bring up a wide range of other concerns.

Thursday morning, between 300 and 400 RLMS students held a protest, refusing to go to class. Police were called to break up the event. Students said they were protesting the alleged suspension of their interim principal, Larry Hooper.

Morris and Hooper later said he was not suspended that day.

Monday night, community members held another meeting to discuss the problems. The meeting’s leaders agreed to focus on upcoming tests for the time being, but said they would talk with the school board.

In other business at Thursday’s board meeting:

4 Morris responded to a request from the board to examine the number of counselors in the district. He presented a report saying the schools are on target with state requirements. West, Frazier and McLaurin have one counselor each. Morgantown and Robert Lewis have two each and Natchez High has three.