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Former student and staff press Klamath County School District board for action after assault allegations and rising violence
Summary
At the district’s November board meeting, a Mazama High graduate and multiple staff and family members described alleged sexual assault and escalating violent incidents, urging clearer policies, better documentation and immediate protections; the superintendent pledged updates and a status report.
At the Klamath County School District’s November board meeting, former Mazama High student Kelsey Anderson told trustees she was assaulted by a male classmate in September and that administrators’ promised protections were not enforced.
"I was assaulted by a male student who was assigned in the seat next to me," Anderson said. "He repeatedly stuck his hands down the front of my pants, going past my underwear." She said the student admitted the act and received a five‑day suspension but was still allowed to play in a football game later that day.
Teacher Nicole Mills, who said she has 27 years’ experience, urged the board to adopt "consistent, transparent, and effective responses" to violent behavior. "Students have hit me, punched me, kicked me, bit me, scratched me, and spit on me," Mills told trustees, summarizing results from a staff survey.
Ron Schmick, speaking as a concerned spouse, described an incident that hospitalized his wife, a 16‑year district employee at Peterson Elementary. "No educator, no human being should be asked to endure repeated violence as part of their job," he said, and asked the board to require mandatory interventions, transparent reporting and supports for injured staff.
Parent and community member Jake Scott told the board his complaint against a Mazama teacher was substantiated but that public‑records requests produced "little to nothing." "Either nothing was documented, or worse, what was documented was withheld," Scott said, and he urged the board to publicly outline the nondisclosable safeguards and immediate nonconfidential changes.
Superintendent (title used in meeting) acknowledged confidentiality limits for employee discipline but said actions were taken. "We cannot give out disciplinary type information regarding employees," he said, adding that there were "actions taken behind the scenes to make sure that that doesn't happen again." He said a special team is working on behavior placements and interventions and that several team members will visit Grants Pass on Dec. 10 to observe an established program with three elements.
Board members pressed for a timeline and more frequent updates. One trustee asked for a written status report; the superintendent said he could provide a status update by Wednesday and promised to report back regularly through December as staff develop placement options and program changes.
The public comments occurred during the meeting’s public‑comment period; board members emphasized the district’s legal limits on disclosing personnel details but said they would pursue improvements to behavior response, recordkeeping and staff supports.
