409 Katie Elder
Jarrell, TX 76537

I'm the parent of a 14-year-old student at Jarrell High School. Well, on Monday, I got a call — not from school, but from a social worker at a hospital in Temple, almost 30 minutes away — stating my child had been transported to the hospital as a minor, without the presence of a legal guardian. I was not only caught by surprise but also terrified because no one from school had told me that my child would be going to the hospital.There are hospitals within 10 minutes of the high school, but my child was taken outside the district and even outside Williamson County. No one from the school contacted me before or during this emergency, and that alone is unacceptable.The incident began when another student had been bullying my child, posting videos, calling them names, like "gay" and other slurs. Out of frustration, my child did swing toward the other student but did not make contact, something confirmed by the school's own video footage. Yet, this did not stop the school's enforcement officer from alleging there was an assault when there was zero evidence and then going on to arrest my child.In that arrest, my 100-pound child was handled in such an aggressive manner that he sustained a concussion and injuries to his back. The doctors at the hospital confirmed these were injuries consistent with a physical assault. My child wasn’t violent; my child was terrified. He simply tried to back away from the officer out of fear.I am deeply disappointed and angry how Jarrell High School handled the situation: failing to notify me, sending my child out of the county without consent, and letting an officer use excessive force on a minor. No parent should ever find out through a hospital that their child has been hurt in this way.This whole experience has shaken my trust in the school's capability to keep students safe or communicate serious incidents with the family.

I used to be a student here last year and let me tell you this school is NOT the school you want your kids to be in, once a teacher lashed out on a student and threw a highlighter at the student later the student had to move schools, and I used to have that teacher and she could never keep her anger in she always lashed out on us (the students). Not only that but there was fights every week is that really the type of school you want your kids to be in? the type of school that can NEVER control their students? I have now moved schools and one of my teachers I have told me she used to work at jarrell middle school and she heard the staff say they "don't believe in bullying" how can anyone say that when as of right now bulling is the highest its ever been especially with social media now days kids kill themselves BECAUSE of BULLING. Instead of dealing with the kids they just give you ISS for literally everything and anything. and there is so much more I need to say about this school but I cant fit it all in here so I am just going to leave it at that. I will not be coming back to this school.

My child attends Igo. He has made very good progress while at the school. His teachers send home work relevant to his goals so I can help him practice at home. In kindergarten my son was struggling to learn letter sounds and this year he is reading words. His behavior has improved and he has more confidence.