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First Denton ISD board meeting since student stabbing
Ryan High School parents are calling for more transparency after they found out about the stabbing on social media instead of hearing it from the district.
DENTON, Texas - Following a stabbing last week at a Denton ISD high school, the school board held their first meeting after the incident on Tuesday night.
Parents of students at the school showed up to voice their concern about a perceived lack of communication about the violent incident from the school.
Denton ISD board meeting
Billy Ryan High School
The latest:
The board did not mention the stabbing at Ryan High School during Tuesday night's meeting.
The issue was not on the agenda, so the board wasn't expected to talk about it, but parents in the crowd hoped it would be addressed.
Ryan High School parents are calling for more transparency after they found out about the stabbing on social media instead of hearing it from the district.
The backstory:
On Friday morning, Denton IsD sent out an initial statement to parents that said a student had a medical emergency and EMS was called, but it didn't say what led up to it.
Moms Josie Gonzalez and Cristal Mendoza called the email vague and told FOX 4 on Saturday that they want better communication from the district.
Denton ISD stabbing: Parents concerned over lack of district communication
Some parents of students at Billy Ryan High School are upset that they learned a student was stabbed from social media instead of hearing it directly from Denton ISD.
On Monday, the district sent an updated statement with more information, including that the incident happened in a classroom of five students located outside the main building.
The district said the student did use a knife to stab the other student, but emphasized the situation was quickly contained.
FOX 4 spoke to the moms again before the school board meeting on Tuesday night.
What they're saying:
"I feel if they would have made that follow-up statement Friday, after they sent the first statement, they would have prevented all this from moving forward," Mendoza said.
The school board did not talk about the incident during the meeting. No one addressed the board about the incident either, including Mendoza and Gonzalez.
Even though the two weren't able to talk directly to the board at this meeting, they plan to in the future.
"Now that I've gotten acquainted with the school board meetings, I plan on making them monthly, and I will make sure that I get my voice heard in the open forum next month," said Gonzalez.
Denton police say the suspected student was taken to the juvenile detention center for aggravated assault.
The student who was hurt is expected to recover.
FOX 4 asked if the superintendent was available to talk, but were told the district is sticking with their updated statement, and no school officials were available.
The Source: Information in this report came from parents at Denton ISD.