Resident urges Mason board to revise assault policies after described attack at high school

During the hearing of the public, Vanessa Camarillo, who identified herself as a resident in the district, recounted a violent assault she said occurred “on October 2025” at Mason High School and urged the board to strengthen disciplinary and victim-support policies.

Cam arillo said the attack — which she described as an unprovoked, repeated physical assault captured on video and interrupted by faculty — inflicted “irreparable harm” on the victim and that the district’s disciplinary response did not include expulsion. She urged the board to consider trauma-informed responses that prioritize the victim’s safety and mental health and to apply “the enhanced disciplinary protections of House Bill 206” in similar cases.

“Severe psychological trauma from an assault like this constitutes serious physical harm under Ohio law,” Camarillo said, and she asked the board to ensure disciplinary decisions consider the full context of incidents rather than focusing only on code-of-conduct labels.

Board members acknowledged the public comment and pledged follow-up. One board member said the concern “did not fall on deaf ears” and that the matter is on the board’s radar for deeper investigation. Superintendent Dr. Cooper also described recent safety protocols the district used during a separate prank threat, thanked staff and local law enforcement for their response, and emphasized that the district takes student safety seriously.

The board did not take an immediate formal action during the hearing; trustees said they would follow up with the speaker and investigate the issues she raised.