The Starkville School District announced Wednesday that David Broom, 61, assistant director of Millsaps Career and Technical Center, passed away suddenly earlier that day.
“It”s real tough on our teachers. We consider ourselves a family here,” said Jamie Stidham, director of the Millsaps Center. “It”s such a shock to all of us. We as a group would like to encourage everyone to keep Mr. Broom”s family and his son, David Jr., in their prayers.”
Stidham, who has served as director of the Millsaps Center for 24 years, said that at 10 years, Broom was his longest serving assistant. He remembered Broom as a “by the book” disciplinarian who never strayed from the rules.
“He got along well with students, but they knew if they were supposed to get three days ISS (in school suspension), they were getting three days, no questions asked,” said Stidham. “(Broom”s) wife described him as they type that either you like him or you didn”t. He was right up front about who he was.”
Broom has served in the Starkville School District for ten years as a teacher and administrator. Since 2002, he”s been the assistant director of Millsaps, where he was in charge of discipline, night classes and inventory. He also served as a teacher, counselor and assistant principal in other districts throughout the state.
Broom, who had been on medical leave, was found unresponsive in his front yard by his son. Paramedics attempted to revive him on the way to Oktibbeha County Hospital and emergency room doctors continued the attempts but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at OCH.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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