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Parents in Boone County, Kentucky, are angry after the school board reinstated a student who had previously been expelled for creating a "kill list" of his fellow classmates.
The list was discovered in late 2021 when the student was in middle school, and he was charged with second-degree terroristic threats. Because the student is 14, his records are sealed, and there is no information on the status of the charges against him.
Despite the charges, the Boone County Board of Education decided to allow the student to attend Conner High School in Hebron. However, at a school board meeting last week, parents voiced their concerns about the decision to let the student return.
"Whatever help he has gotten, he is still a threat to be in an environment which fostered him to want to do a mass shooting and make a list of our students of Conner Middle School that are now at Conner High School," parent Deanne Corbin said, according to WLWT.
One parent, Rob Bidleman, noted that his child was on the kill list and would be forced to attend school with the student who threatened him.
"As a father of a child on the active kill list, my statements will reflect my opinions based on the information I received from Conner High School. When I received a call from the principal, it was emotionally devastating. All I could think about was my child in danger when they did nothing wrong," Bidleman said.
After the meeting, Boone County School District Superintendent Matthew Turner sent a letter to parents promising that the district was taking necessary precautions to ensure that all of the students are safe.
"With the assistance of the Boone County Sheriff's Department, our School Resource Officers, as well as the District Safety team, I can assure you all appropriate safety measures have been taken and are in place. Conner High School remains a safe school," he wrote.
"The Kentucky Constitution guarantees the right to a public education for every child without prejudice, and we are obligated to follow state law. If you have concerns regarding education law, we strongly encourage you to talk to your local state legislator. We will continue to be vigilant regarding these matters, and we appreciate the community's support," Turner added.