Wauwatosa parents take concerns to school board
Wauwatosa parents take concerns to school board
Sounding the alarm on school safety, Wauwatosa parents brought their concerns to Monday night's school board meeting. This, after a few incidents last week, including the arrest of a student for bringing a gun to Wauwatosa West High School and the investigation of a middle school teacher for an inappropriate conversation.
WAUWATOSA, Wis. - Sounding the alarm on school safety, Wauwatosa parents brought their concerns to Monday night's school board meeting. This, after a few incidents last week, including the arrest of a student for bringing a gun to Wauwatosa West High School and the investigation of a middle school teacher for an inappropriate conversation.
Several parents who have students at both West High School and Whitman Middle School say they've had enough. They're calling on the board to hold so-called bad actors accountable to prevent the possibility of more harm in the future.
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On the same day increased security began at Wauwatosa West High School after the school found two students brought weapons, including a gun and a box-cutter to school, Wauwatosa parents demanded the school board take further action.
"This past week has been absolutely horrible," said a parent.
"My one question is what's it gonna take?" said Emily Peters. "What's it gonna take for you to make change?"
Just down the street from Wauwatosa West, a Whitman Middle School teacher is on administrative leave while the district investigates an "inappropriate conversation with a group of students about sex" which wasn't part of approved curriculum. An email sent to parents says the teacher told students they should not have sex with anyone they don't trust, but parents accuse the district of ignoring the teacher's past.
"These people are with our kids day in and day out," said a parent. "How can we not know a little bit of what is going on?"
Court documents obtained by FOX6 News show the teacher was charged with resisting an officer causing injury in 2020. The teacher was found guilty but not guilty due to mental disease and returned to work.
Parents say they respect the delicacy of mental health but want to ensure their kids can go to school safely.
"The foreseeability here that something could have happened to a child and someone didn't intervene is concerning and disappointing," said a parent.
Just about every parent who spoke said they appreciate Superintendent Demond Means and his work to get the district back on track.
FOX6 News asked the district for an interview with him but the district declined.