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Parents accuse Parkland High administrators of mishandling bullying cases; call for immediate review
Summary
Multiple families told the board that bullying complaints at Parkland High School were not adequately addressed, linking administrative responses to medical crises and demanding immediate, systemic review and reassignment of aggressors rather than victims.
Several parents and family members used the March 17 public‑comment period to say Parkland High School failed to protect students from persistent bullying, describing a pattern of reported incidents, an alleged failure to enforce “no contact” orders and, in at least one case, a subsequent medical crisis that led to inpatient care.
Darby DeHaven (speaker 20) and Julie Kalinovsky (speaker 19) described timelines of repeated reports to school staff, requests for bully investigations and what they called inadequate administrative responses. Kalinovsky said her 14‑year‑old daughter was hospitalized after what she characterized as sustained harassment and that the school’s response had effectively displaced the victim rather than the aggressors. “When my daughter is medically cleared to return, she returns to a school where the bullies are moved, not her,” Kalinovsky demanded.
Family members asked the board for immediate, systematic review of how principals and administrators handle bullying reports, data on how many complaints are filed and how often victims are moved versus aggressors, and clearer outcomes on safety plans. Several speakers said they were organizing community action groups to develop and present remedies to the board.
Superintendent (speaker 5) and board members expressed sympathy and said administrators take every allegation seriously; the superintendent noted confidentiality constraints in public meetings and offered follow‑up meetings with families and building administrators. Board members said policies and procedures exist, that administrators will review the cases cited and that the district is open to additional dialogue. The board did not announce any precipitate policy change at the session but acknowledged the public demand for data and faster resolution.
What’s next: Board and administration offered to meet with families and to review the district’s bullying investigations and discipline practices; families said they will continue to press for public data and an independent review if needed.
