MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Students at a Parkway Village high school continued voicing their frustration with demonstrations on Tuesday morning.

We spoke with the student organizer of the protest Artasia Grayer on Monday who explained the demonstrations at Sheffield High School are all over concerns with the staff and principal.

In a letter written to Interim Superintendent Dr. Roderick Richmond, students expressed their frustration saying, “We do not feel safe. We do not feel valued. And we do not feel heard.” Richmond went to the school to listen to students on Monday.

A lack of teachers, locked bathroom doors, and suspensions over dress code violations are a few issues outlined in the letter.

“I do feel like it’s a lack of teachers and maybe that’s why they have the bathroom doors locked, but I also said I’d volunteer to come up here. I do work, but if they call me, I’m coming. I’m here to support the school and my children,” said parent Dastria Hamilton.

Another parent, Alisha Padilla, told WREG that her children have also had issues with leadership at the school.

“My son was going through the metal detector, putting his belt back on like normal and Dr. Black looked at him and said, ‘Tuck in your shirt now.’ And he mumbled something underneath his breath. And ever since then, she’s refused to let my children in the school be. She said, in order for my children to get back into school, we have to have a board meeting,” said Padilla.

Students say they want new leadership and started a petition that has gathered more than 400 signatures. Grayer says they plan to protest every morning until something is changed.

“I don’t even want to come back to this school and I’m a senior. And my grades have been dropping and that’s because staff is holding grudges against me to the point that my grades dropping and I ain’t been to school because I’m getting suspended with no paperwork,” she said.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools responded Tuesday morning saying they are investigating the allegations and are committed to what they call a “thorough and diligent” process.

“MSCS acknowledges the recent student demonstration at Sheffield High School and reaffirms its commitment to supporting students’ right to peacefully protest and voice concerns,” said the district in a statement. “… Actionable plans are already being implemented based on the feedback received.”

Amid concerns that students were given in-school suspension for participating, the district now says that was not true. Instead, they cited the district’s policy regarding students leaving school grounds without permission as a class “E” violation.

“And it’s sad that we have to go through this because it’s more like a jail than it is a school. School activities — we barely get to do those. And our test scores are low because we don’t get to do this. We don’t have a lot of fun. It’s just you. So it makes it hard for us to want to pass,” said Junior JerMirreya Ross.