INDIANAPOLIS — A parent’s nightmare: finding out their child was injured at school.
That was the reality for one Southport Sixth Grade Academy mom last Thursday.
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Perry Township Schools confirmed to WRTV that a child brought a razor blade to school, resulting in another student being cut on the forearm.
The school also clarified details about the incident. "It has been widely shared that the student tried to cut another student's dreadlocks. That information is incorrect. None of the students involved had dreadlocks," a school spokesperson said.
“I’m blown away by that," parent of six Jeramy Lowe said.
Lowe says bullying is a recurring issue at Perry Township and the district isn’t doing enough to stop it.
“As a parent, I would like to feel like my children are safe coming to school and maybe be more involved in what’s going on with the culture of the school. Let’s be proactive instead of reactive to stop some of these things before they happen," he said.
The school sent the statement below to families and staff:
“This morning, a student brought a razor blade to school, and another student was cut on the forearm. The victim received immediate attention from staff and was later released to their parents, who took the child for medical treatment. While it appears the razor blade was not brought with malicious intent, actions in schools have consequences, particularly when they result in injury. The Perry Township Schools Police are actively involved, and a report has been submitted to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.”
Attorneys Tammy Meyer and Catherine Michael say this isn’t an isolated episode.
“Schools are supposed to be safe places and when we start to see patterns in school districts of violence. It speaks to a bigger picture," Michael said.
This comes after WRTV has previously reported about an issues with bullying and injuries in the district.
In February, two lawsuits were filed against the district, claiming two students were seriously hurt in bullying incidents.
“We have problems with supervision, we have problems with the educational services that are being provided to children so that they understand what’s appropriate, what’s not appropriate, we have problems with the lack of counseling in their school system," she said.
The Marion County Prosecutor announced Monday a 12-year-old girl was charged in the case.
She’s charged with with Criminal Recklessness and Possession of a Knife on School Property, both level 6 felonies.
“We find many times that these just get swept under the rug because maybe the prosecutor has something bigger and better they have to attend to. If we don’t start prosecuting these juveniles for these crimes then they do go unchecked," Meyer said.
Perry Township encourages parents to talk to their children about school rules about prohibited items.
Concerns can be reported via the See Something Say Something tipline at 317-789-3905 or on their website.
