Parent tells board her ninth-grade daughter attempted suicide; urges stronger anti-bullying systems

During the second public-comment period, Crystal Simmons Dockery told the board that her ninth-grade daughter attempted suicide at school after repeated bullying. Dockery said school staff placed a "no contact" order related to the situation but failed to notify parents promptly; she said she learned of the incident only when an ambulance arrived.

Dockery described the incident and its aftermath in detail, saying her daughter "attempted to commit suicide in school due to bullying" and was later hospitalized in a psychiatric ward. She said staff initially "tried to come up with excuses against her family" rather than addressing the bullying and pressed the board for better systems, stronger parent notification and clearer enforcement of no-contact directives.

Why it matters: The account raises urgent questions about student safety, school notification procedures, and whether existing anti-bullying policies and no-contact orders are effectively enforced. The board and administration did not announce immediate policy changes during the meeting, but board members discussed the possibility of legislative/ policy review.

Next steps: The parent requested district-level review of the incident, improved family notification procedures when a no-contact order is issued, and stronger enforcement to prevent continued contact (e.g., on extracurricular teams). The board indicated the matter may merit further attention outside of the public-comment period.