Snapchat threats, Snapchat photos of the threatening student with guns and a vicious unprovoked attack on a school bus lead Brookville Middle School parents to be in fear for their children

By John Estridge

NOTE THE EVENT DID NOT HAPPEN AT MT. CARMEL SCHOOL. IT HAPPENED IN THE MT. CARMEL SCHOOL PARKING LOT, ACCORDING TO FCCSC SUPERINTENDENT TAMMY CHAVIS. SHE DID NOT SAY IN WHICH SCHOOL THIS IS OCCURRING. PARENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND STATED THIS IS AT BROOKVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL. STUDENT 1 WAS CARED FOR AT THE MT. CARMEL SCHOOL NURSE’S STATION

There is supposed to be a zero tolerance for bullying in the Franklin County Community School Corporation.

However, a few parents came into the FCCSC Board of Trustees meeting Monday night, April 12, and talked about some frightening incidents involving their children at Brookville Middle School

More than a little ironic was on the same day of the FCCSC school board meeting, there was a shooting at a high school in Knoxville, Tenn., leaving one student dead and a police officer wounded.

Everything in the ensuing article was said at the school board meeting.

No real names are going to be used in this article. The school bus attack occurred before spring break.

Student 1 is a Mt. Carmel male student. At 9 p.m., on a weeknight, Student 1’s mother received a message from another parent. It was a screen shot of a Snapchat post. The Snapchat post was Student 2 at Brookville Middle School made a threat against Student 1.

It was 9 p.m., so the mother of Student 1 did not know what she could really accomplish at that point.

The next morning Student 1 was sitting on the second row of the bus. Student 2 walked on the bus and proceeded to hit Student 1 in the face five times with his fist. Then, Student 2 walked over to where Student 1’s brother was sitting on the bus and asked him “Do you want some?”

At that point, Student 2 turned back on Student 1. Apparently, the bus driver took no action during the whole event. However, students on the bus stood up and blocked the path of Student 2 and would not allow him to get to Student 1 again.

Student 1’s mother was called to the Mt. Carmel School nurse’s room where she found her son beaten with a black eye. Student 1’s parents said they contacted police, but have not received any help from the police to this point. A male parent said the police have given Student 1’s family “the runaround.”

A bus video showed Student 1 did nothing to instigate the attack, Student 1’s mother said during the school board meeting. She said her son did nothing in self defense because he was afraid he would not be allowed to take part in extra-curricular activities, and he enjoys athletics. He was afraid he would receive punishment from the school system for defending himself.

Student 2 was expelled from school. Later, Student 1’s mother was told by a school board member Student 2 would be kicked out of school for the rest of the school year.

However, that did not occur. Student 2 was back at an undisclosed school following spring break. He is a special needs student. Student 1’s mother said she was told Student 2 had to be allowed back in school as part of his IEP (Individualized Education Program). As part of Student 2’s coming back to school, an adult is supposed to be with Student 2 the entire time he is at school. It was not said where Student 2 and the adult spend their day at school.

At some point through this, Student 2 made another Snapchat threat against the friends of Student 1, saying he was going to bring a knife to the school and stab Student 1’s friends.

There have been other Snapchat posts by Student 2 where he is holding a handgun and another where he is holding an AK-15. There were not specific threats involving the Snapchats with the guns.

Apparently, there was a situation at the Brookville Middle School on Thursday, April 8. Some people called it a lockdown, but FCCSC administration said it was not termed a lockdown. And the parents at the school board meeting said they thought it had to do with Student 2’s continued actions. However, FCCSC Superintendent Tammy Chavis said it was another incident at the school that caused the response people were discussing.

Parents still are fearful for their children. A male parent said even if an adult is with Student 2 at all times, the school officials are still allowing Student 2 to pass in the halls at the same time as the rest of the students. Student 2 is apparently not searched before coming into school. The male parent said Student 2 could pull out a knife or a gun and take action with them before an adult could react.

The parents said the continued threats should be a red flag and should not be ignored.

A male parent said people say the school shootings can’t happen here, but he said they can and do happen anywhere.

Another parent wondered what will happen next year when Student 2 comes into Franklin County High School. Will the need to have an adult with him the entire time transfer or is it just to last until the end of the school year?

Chavis told the parents, especially Student 1’s mother, that she and the other parents can call her at the administration building at any time and ask about anything. However, she said there are many things she cannot legally discuss. They can also call the building administrators at the Brookville Middle School.

According to Chavis, she has already had many conversations with Student 1’s mother.