Parent describes stranger feeding grapes through Ione Elementary fence; calls for transparency and SROs
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Summary
A parent at the school board meeting described an incident in which an unknown man handed grapes to students through a fence at Ione Elementary and urged the district to improve campus privacy and supervision; the board took the comment under advisement and no formal action was recorded.
A parent of children at Ione Elementary told the school board that an unknown man entered the school parking area and, after an adult on campus retrieved a ball from outside the fence, the man handed grapes to students through the fence.
The parent, Dylan Coats of Ione, described the episode during public comment and urged the district to increase privacy fencing, campus supervision and transparency about incidents that involve children.
"Do our children matter to you by chance?" Coats asked the board, calling for a privacy fence and for school‑resource officer (SRO) presence during school hours. Coats said the incident had led local parents to consider homeschooling because they lacked confidence in campus safety.
What the district said: The incident was raised in public comment only; no board action was recorded during the meeting. Transportation director Paul Bracco was named later in the meeting in a separate comment about bus stop additions and timing; commenters asked for clearer communication from transportation staff about schedule and stop changes.
Next steps: Public commenters requested the district inform parents more promptly about safety incidents and consider physical and staffing changes to reduce outside visibility and access to students; the board did not announce immediate policy changes but it heard requests for improved communication and for review of supervision procedures.
No formal investigation outcome or administrative response was reported at the meeting.