Parent tells board his son was stabbed at Vanguard School, urges review of notification policies

Glenn Carr told the Apple Valley Unified School District board that his 11-year-old son was stabbed by another student at Vanguard School earlier that day and that district staff did not notify the parents or provide medical care.

"Today, my son was stabbed by a fellow student at the school, and I did not receive nor his mother receive a phone call about that," Carr said in public comment, adding that the incident was initially dismissed by administrators as a "poke." He said the child was not examined by school staff and that parents learned of the injury only later through their son.

Carr requested that the board review parent-notification policies and campus reporting protocols and said he filed a formal complaint with the district during the meeting because he expected board members and administrators to be present. "We need to identify this. We need to look at the SOPs that you guys have in place for your administrators," he said.

Board members acknowledged the comment and President Maria Opara told Carr, "Somebody is going to get in touch with you tomorrow for sure." The superintendent's office indicated it would follow up with the parent.

The board did not take any immediate action during the meeting beyond promising follow-up contact; Carr asked the board to clarify when parents are mandated to be notified and when authorities are to be involved.

The district's formal incident-reporting procedures and any follow-up investigation or policy review were not detailed during the meeting. Carr said he filed a formal complaint with the district at the meeting.