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Parent Danielle Wright alleges her son was questioned without a guardian and called a liar by school staff
Summary
At the May board meeting, Danielle Wright told the South Vermillion board that her son was taken into an office, questioned by multiple administrators and a transportation director about a pickup and then accused of lying; she said the family was not notified and a lawyer later called the boy a witness.
Danielle Wright, a parent, used the board’s public comment period to allege that on April 23 her son was summoned to an office at a South Vermillion school, questioned by the superintendent, the principal and the director of transportation, and then left upset after school officials told her he was not being truthful.
"My son was questioned without our knowledge for alleged adult actions," Wright told the board. She said school staff later told the family a lawyer was present and that the lawyer described her son as a witness — a characterization Wright disputed because no guardian had been allowed to participate.
Wright described the meeting she says included the superintendent, assistant superintendent, the director of transportation and a lawyer, and said the director of transportation repeatedly told her son "I know what I heard," implying the child was lying. She said the superintendent later told the family he believed the student "seemed fine" when he left the office.
Wright said her family has been associated with South Vermillion for years and that the episode left her son visibly upset. "Our main concern was that our son was questioned without our knowledge," she said, adding that the family started a petition defending her husband’s character after the incident and that colleagues and supervisors of her husband — a corrections officer — signed in support.
The board did not record a substantive response or corrective action in the meeting transcript. Board members heard the comment during the final public comment period and proceeded to closing remarks and adjournment.
