A group of fathers from Louisiana were horrified to see a series of fights breaking out in their local school, so they decided to take matters into their own hands.
By patrolling the school, making sure kids get to time on class, and even making a few dad jokes to keep spirits high, these fathers have had a profoundly positive impact on their local school.
After a dozen fights erupted in one Louisiana school over a 72 hour period and resulted in over two dozen student being arrested, one group of fathers decided to try and help out.
Five local fathers got together to think about how they could help, with them ultimately coming up with the idea for Dads On Duty.
The group of fathers greet the children as they come into school in the morning, all wearing their Dads On Duty shirts. They then stay throughout the day to help make sure that kids are attending class and not fighting.
The fathers wanted to make sure that their presence on campus was known to the kids.
"Although we're titled 'dad's on duty,' we also serve as uncle's on duty, we serve as men of the community on duty," Michael LaFitte Jr. told GMA.
"Because there are some folks who don't have a father or don't have such a great relationship with their father, and it's our goal to let them see what the right relationship with a male figure is supposed to look like."
Even though none of the fathers have any official qualifications in school counselling, staff and students alike have nothing but good things to say about the positive impact being made by Dads On Duty.
"The school has just been happy — and you can feel it," one student told CBS.
"The students say it's working — and the numbers prove it. There hasn't been a single incident on campus since the dads showed up," writes Dads On Duty on their GoFundMe page.
Dads On Duty have recently experienced a massive influx of volunteer dads who want to help out with the cause. LaFitte, who works with an independent security firm, helps vet the fathers to make sure they're the right fit for the work.
Kim H. Pendleton, principal of Southwood High where Dads On Duty currently operate, had the following to say of Dads On Duty:
"After the fights, there was a heavy police presence at the school and the kids told me they did not like that [...] [The dads] care and they're committed to being present. The kids see them as they're walking in in the morning. They greet the kids. They tell corny jokes. When I do my rounds to classrooms, they walk with me. They're making sure that kids are leaving school safely. People are able to talk to them."
Hopefully Dads On Duty will be able to continue, and expand upon, the amazing work that they are doing with extra funding.
h/t: GMA
