Parents press Depew school leaders after student cafeteria assault; superintendent says district will review procedures

Rachel Bone, the mother of a student who was assaulted in a Depew Union Free School District high school cafeteria in October, told the school board on Nov. 20 that communication from district officials has been minimal and asked what steps the district will take to prevent a similar incident.

"The trauma, the damage, the psychological effects that have affected my daughter should not happen to another student," Bone said during public comment, saying she had watched the video of the attack "over and over again" and that supervising staff did not intervene. She also said a student who tried to intervene was suspended, and that social-media posts from other students suggest similar incidents have occurred previously.

Katie Smith, the district superintendent, described the October incident as "horrific" and said the district "will not tolerate that conduct." Smith said the district is examining supervision practices, reporting procedures and student support systems at every level and has engaged Bridled Leadership Preparedness Solutions to perform a safety audit. Smith said administrators are reviewing results from student and family surveys and will launch a community ThoughtExchange to gather input about what makes a safe, welcoming and affirming environment.

Smith said building teams will continue to meet to debrief and monitor the success of any new plans and emphasized the district's commitment to safeguarding students. "Parents entrust us with their children each day for our care, and we take that responsibility extremely seriously," she said.

Grandfather Dave Bone also addressed the board, saying he has viewed the video repeatedly and asking whether students involved in the assault have been removed from school or participated in restorative programs. "None of the three students ... should have been back in this school ever," he said, and requested confidential follow-up with district officials.

Board members did not announce specific disciplinary outcomes during the public portion of the meeting. The superintendent repeatedly described ongoing reviews and forthcoming community outreach but did not provide details of individual discipline decisions, saying the district is reviewing procedures and support systems and will report back as appropriate. The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 16 at the high school cafeteria.

Ending: The board recorded public comment and affirmed that the district will pursue audits and community input; parents pressed for concrete answers about disciplinary measures and student safety, and asked for confidential follow-up.