HAUBSTADT, In. (WEHT) – On Tuesday evening concerned parents had the chance to voice their frustration with how Haubstadt Community School handled a security threat earlier this month.
Gibson County Deputies responded on February 9th to the school, after a person who was having a suspected mental health crisis was able to enter through a broken door. That person briefly got inside of the school and was later transported to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
“The kid entered the school twice through an unlocked door. That is completely uncalled for for the safety of our children,” said one parent, whose kids have attended Haubstadt Community School.
The biggest question on everyone’s mind was how this could have happened, and what could have happened if the individual had sinister intentions. Parents say they feared for their children’s safety, and questioned the actions of how school administrators handled this threat.
“There was an unknown man inside the school. Why wasn’t the school immediately put on lockdown? I think as parents, we deserve an answer,” said another parent, an officer who was involved in the deadly January shooting at the West Side Evansville Walmart.
A primary concern was the lack of School Resource Officers available due to staffing shortages, and how a solution can be reached as soon as possible. Parents also questioned how the individual was able to enter in the first place, bringing questions about preparedness in these situations.
“There was a big disconnect and a big failure on how this was handled. There was an incident with a student back in the fall. That should have been your ‘big come together moment.’ Let’s figure out how to make this right and do better next time,” said another concerned parent.
The East Gibson County School Board says they are reviewing existing protocols to ensure the safety of the students, and will answer more questions at their next board meeting on March 21st.
