Maury County Schools have announced the formation of a new task force to evaluate policies and procedures as a nationwide search continues for a teen allegedly abducted by a former teacher.
The members will evaluate current parental-notification policies and make recommendations for process improvements. The Task Force will be made up of 8 people including a teacher, principal, parent and member of the Maury County Sheriff's Department.
Tad Cummins allegedly kidnapped 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas on March 13, prompting a statewide AMBER Alert.
At the time of their disappearance, Cummins had just been suspended from Culleoka Unit School following accusations he had an inappropriate relationship with the teen.
Related: Maury Co. Schools Release Cummins Investigation Timeline
Back in January, a student reportedly spotted Cummins kissing Thomas in his classroom and was described to be "freaked out" by it. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released a photo of the pair together at school days before the alleged incident.
Thomas’ brother, James, told NewsChannel 5 that he had never heard of Cummins until his father was notified of the allegations a week after a student reported it.
In response to the incident, the school district said the task force will “identify potential notification and policy improvements.”
“There is nothing more sacred than the public trust our community invests in our school system, not only in achieving educational excellence for our young people but also for students’ safety, security and wellbeing in their daily interactions with our faculty, staff and support teams,” said MCPS Superintendent Dr. Christopher J. Marczak.
The task force will meet for six to eight weeks and then make a recommendation to the Maury County Board of Education in May. The first meeting will be Apr. 7.
All Maury County schools now display Amber Alert information on the marquee signs outside the schools.
Officials asked anyone with information on where Thomas could be to call the Maury County Sheriff's Office at 931-375-8654 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND (1-800-824-3463).
