Parents, students and staff press Walled Lake board on safety, special-education placements and IB program cuts

Dozens of parents, students and staff used the board's public-comment period to press Walled Lake Consolidated Schools officials Tuesday on classroom safety, transparency about a student threat, alleged denials of special-education placement recommendations and the planned removal of the International Baccalaureate program at Walled Lake Western.

Speakers described repeated classroom disruptions at Commerce and Keith elementary schools — including physical assaults, property damage and repeated verbal threats — and called on the board to explain why parents were not notified promptly and what disciplinary and support steps the district will take.

Why it matters: Several parents said the same child made multiple threats (including a threat to bring a gun to school) and that families were not informed quickly. Speakers urged immediate, clearer notification protocols, stronger safety plans and either disciplinary action or targeted interventions for the student involved.

Mitch Watkins, who identified himself as a Walled Lake Central alumnus and spoke in support of special-education staff, said paraeducators and classroom teachers are ‘‘trying their best to support students with complex needs’’ and argued that placement decisions should reflect team recommendations. ‘‘Under Michigan law and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, educational placement is a team decision, not a unilateral one,’’ Watkins said.

Several parents said they had reported incidents to teachers and principals and received little follow-up. Dustin June, a parent at Keith Elementary, said West Bloomfield police had ‘‘verified there are multiple firearms in the home’’ of the student who made the threats and urged the board to expel the student if the behavior met the district’s code of conduct. ‘‘No child should fear going to school because they think they're gonna get shot,’’ June said.

Other parents described repeated classroom evacuations and injuries: Vesna Beckstrom said her kindergartner saw classmates ‘‘punched, stabbed with pencils, and heard threats made toward her teacher and one of her good friends.’’ Macy Oetisha and Kristen Kamuth detailed similar incidents and asked the district for a written safety plan and better communication for next year.

Some speakers framed the problem as a special-education resourcing and placement issue. A parent who read a letter on behalf of a nonverbal kindergartner said the child's special-education team twice recommended placement in an ASD classroom and that both recommendations were denied by administration ‘‘with no reason provided.’’ That parent explicitly cited Michigan law and IDEA when arguing placements must be team-based.

Separately, multiple students and alumni, plus teachers and community advocates, addressed the board about the planned end of Walled Lake Western’s IB diploma program. Junior Chloe Powers told the board the program ‘‘pushes [students] in the best ways possible’’ and called the decision ‘‘like having this door shut in my face right as I reach for the handle.’’ Noah Springer, an IB diploma candidate, said the district risks losing students to other districts and noted the district’s large fund balance as context for the decision.

Ryan Blakney, who said he helped bring the IB program to the district two decades ago, urged trustees to weigh ‘‘perspective’’ and the nonfinancial benefits the program provides.

Board and administration response: Board members repeatedly told commenters that the board cannot discuss individual student matters in public. In board commentary, trustees acknowledged the concerns and asked administration to review notification protocols, code-of-conduct interactions with IDEA protections, and safety procedures. Board President noted the district had recently held closed‑session superintendent evaluation work and emphasized that specific disciplinary decisions are handled by administration following legal requirements.

What speakers asked for: parents sought (1) immediate notification to classroom families after a credible threat, (2) clear written safety plans and follow-up for affected classrooms, (3) review of procedures governing special-education placement denials and better communication when recommendations are not adopted, and (4) reconsideration or community review of the IB program decision.

No formal board action on these public requests was taken at the meeting; trustees asked administration to report back and signaled they would review policy and safety procedures in coming weeks.

Ending: Speakers emphasized a mix of concerns — student safety, timely communication, compliance with IDEA and preservation of specialized academic options — and asked the board and district to produce clear, timely responses before the next school year.