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Parents urge North Lake SD 14 board to act on student discipline and safety
Summary
Multiple parents told the North Lake SD 14 board they are alarmed by escalating classroom disruptions and alleged threats; trustees agreed to work with teachers and administration on a collaborative discipline plan and to report back at upcoming meetings.
Several parents and a substitute teacher pressed the North Lake SD 14 school board on Thursday to take stronger, faster action after repeated classroom disruptions and safety concerns at district schools.
Wendy, a parent of two district students, told trustees she had reported a sixth‑grade student’s troubling behavior — including an alleged threat to bring a gun to school and the presence of a container she said implied drug use — to the principal, superintendent and local law enforcement. "To my knowledge, no substantial actions have been taken," Wendy said, urging the board to open a formal review of discipline policies and safety protocols.
Cheyenne Houghton, who identified herself as a district parent and substitute teacher, said inconsistent discipline is harming instruction and proposed a single, consistently enforced "discipline ladder." "This behavior cannot be tolerated in the classroom," Cheyenne said, urging immediate parental notification and firmer consequences for repeated misconduct.
Another parent who spoke during the public comment period said her child’s IEP supports have not been consistently delivered, and argued that inclusive practices must not shield repeated disruptive behavior from effective interventions.
Board members acknowledged the seriousness of the complaints and described ongoing work to develop a district policy built jointly by teachers and administration. The superintendent said negotiators and certified staff have agreed to remove a discipline process from the collective bargaining agreement and instead create a collaboratively drafted policy and a work session for teachers and administrators to craft a district discipline plan.
Board members asked for an update at upcoming meetings and emphasized the need to give teachers clear, implementable tools and consistent consequences. Trustees and the superintendent also discussed the role of outside supports; the board later approved a memorandum of understanding to continue funding part‑time counseling support through a Lake County ESD counselor, a measure administration said is intended to add support while the discipline policy is developed.
The board recorded no formal decision specifically changing discipline rules at the meeting; next procedural steps include the teacher/administration work session and updates to handbooks and board policy. The district asked the public to send any further examples and said it would report progress at the next board meeting.
