Fremont parents vent after middle school brawl, false shooting rumor

More than three dozen parents were at Monday's meeting and at least a dozen spoke during the public comment session.

Many wanted to hear the board’s response in the aftermath of a large fight among students on Feb. 5 at the middle school, as well as an unverified, false rumor of a potential school shooting later that week on Feb. 8, which led to 600 students being removed from the school that day by concerned parents.

Fremont Superintendent Mark Shepard read a statement at the meeting, detailing the district’s response to both incidents, as well as thanking parents who he said had flooded his office with comments in the past few days.

In response to the incidents, the district has implemented a series of new safety measures at Fremont Middle School, which Shepard said he believes have dramatically improved security. Two parent-district feedback forums are also being offered on Feb. 20 and Feb. 22.

Scott Timmerman, a substitute teacher in the Fremont Public Schools district, sought answers on who was responsible for the issues.

“Here we are, it has kind of hit the fan. People want answers and the blame game begins. So who is responsible? The parents, the school, the state, the teachers, the students? Maybe everyone here is responsible,” Timmerman said. “What are we going to do? My thought is, kick the troublemakers out of school. Clean house. We have to take care of things, and it is up to you. I am tired of seeing Fremont in the news.”

Kaitlin Edwards, who said she was a graduate of Fremont High School and longtime city resident, said her son — a middle school student — has become “terrified” of the environment at the school.

Edwards claimed her son had been threatened in the past by other students, who she alleged were going to “cut him” with a knife.

“My child should not be scared to go into a place of learning,” Edwards said. “No child should be.”

One parent, who identified himself as Ryan Nelson, told the board that he was exploring transferring his daughter to another school district due to safety concerns.

“My daughter has been assaulted more than once. We have spent more than one night dealing with law enforcement all night because she personally reported a threat, as some of you on the board know,” Nelson said.

“Thursday she was scared. I had to have somebody come pick her up because I work. She has not been to school since. Thursday, I put in a transfer to Arlington (schools). She will not be coming back to school or class,” he said.

Nelson asked if it was possible to restart COVID-era remote learning as an option for students whose parents were worried about their children’s safety.

Other speakers, like mother Debbie Cusick, defended the school district and teachers, telling attendees her opinion may be unpopular.

“I think it is embarrassing that 600 parents showed up at the school and took their kids away based on rumors,” Cusick said, noting that her child had never been scared while in classes.

Shepard told the parents who attended Monday's board meeting that the false rumors of an alleged attack at the middle school were vigorously investigated by police and proven false and that information was widely and frequently shared with parents.

He said after Monday's fight, school administrators looked at safety protocols and procedures and by Tuesday had implemented a new process for how students enter the building and where and when they wait in the morning.

"It seems to have greatly strengthened our student safety,” he said.