GLADSTONE — The issue of bullying was raised again by a concerned parent during the Gladstone School Board meeting Monday.

Clinton Seawright brought to the board’s attention an incident that occurred Friday with his son at Jones Elementary School.

“He’s had a rough time with bullying. He’s kind of had a rough past and stuff like that. I thought we were doing better. It was made to my knowledge that Friday there was a young lady at Jones School that supposedly brought a knife to school and threatened to kill my son,” he said.

Seawright explained the young girl’s friend told his son of the other girl’s threat on Friday. He said action was taken by the school, however, his son is scared to return to school especially since they had heard a rumor that the girl will already return to school on Tuesday.

“I don’t think that is enough for threatening to kill somebody,” Seawright said.

Superintendent Jay Kulbertis explained to Seawright there are procedures that take place when incidents like this occur and for the girl to be allowed back into school means the school has been assured she is not a threat to herself or others. Kulbertis added it is a professional outside of the school that determines this.

Seawright said he would not allow his son back into the school until he saw this professional’s decision and also said the school should supply his son the school work he will miss because of this.

Kulbertis agreed to putting together information for Seawright about how the determination was made and will make arrangements for providing school work for Seawright’s son.

Board President Steve Tackman said the board will also be asking the administrators for more information on the issue.

“We are very concerned with issues of bullying in our school district, so I would ask of the administrators to give more of a report of the details of what happened and the courses of action that were taken,” he said.

In other business, the board:

– new board member Nathan Neumeier took his oath of office

– accepted the letter of rescind and letter of intent to retire from Carol Clark

– approved the second reading of the Neola Policy volume 33 Nr 1

– approved the hire of Teamster employee Heather DuRoy

– accepted a letter of retirement from Brady Downey, Gladstone High School principal.