WHEATON, Ill. – Concerned parents from a west suburban high school gathered to address the issue of student safety on Wednesday night. Following a series of violent fights within the school, parents took their worries to the Wheaton/Warrenville School District 200 Board for discussion about the safety of the students. The district leaders acknowledged the concerns raised by the parents and informed them about the implemented changes aimed at addressing the issue.
The catalyst for the heightened concerns was a recent fight that occurred in a bathroom at Wheaton Warrenville South High School, resulting in charges being pressed. In response to this incident, adjustments were made to bathroom policies and hall pass procedures within the school. However, both students and parents expressed that these changes were reactive rather than proactive, raising doubts about their effectiveness in curbing violence within the school environment.
Wearing purple, a color symbolizing support for victims of domestic violence, parents gathered outside Wheaton Warrenville South to stand up for their students. Each flag planted on the school lawn represented a disciplinary incident from the previous year, indicating a lack of appropriate handling of disciplinary issues. Concerns were also raised about the communication between parents and school leadership, emphasizing the paramount importance of student safety within the educational setting.
The escalation of concerns reached a tipping point when a student sustained injuries in a fight within a high school bathroom on February 28, with a video of the incident circulating online. Parents voiced their distress at the school board meeting, questioning the underlying reasons that lead students to resort to violence against their peers. While changes to bathroom policies, including increased supervision, were implemented, students expressed dissatisfaction with these adjustments, stating that they fail to effectively address the root causes of violence within the school premises.
During the meeting, senior Nicolas Graham highlighted that restricting access to bathrooms does not tackle the underlying issues that lead to violent behavior among students. Parents echoed the sentiment, calling for a more proactive approach to addressing disciplinary concerns within the school environment. Furthermore, an eighth-grade student, Tyler Anderson, shared his unpleasant experience of being physically disciplined by a coach and teacher at the school, shedding light on the need for stringent action against such incidents.
The discussion at the school board meeting emphasized the importance of amending policies and practices to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students. While school leaders acknowledged the positive aspects of the school and its students, they refrained from responding to public comments made during the meeting. Ultimately, the collective aim remains to advocate for policies that prioritize student safety and address disciplinary issues effectively to foster a secure learning environment.