Moses Lake parents upset over fights

District to investigate

MOSES LAKE - A group of parents expressed frustration Thursday with student violence at Moses Lake High School.

Moses Lake resident Tracy Dayett spoke at a school district board meeting about an alleged assault against her daughter, a freshman at the high school.

After the discussion, the school board promised to look into the incident. Special Assistant to the Superintendent P.J. De Benedetti planned to begin gathering information Friday.

Dayett claims her daughter was repeatedly threatened by another student and her daughter was allegedly harassed at a football game Sept. 15. She said it was reported to school officials.

She said her daughter was reportedly assaulted four days later, and was dropped on her head by the suspect student, who moved to Moses Lake from Tacoma, Wash. Her daughter allegedly passed out from the attack.

Dayett reported to file a restraining order against the suspect student, and the suspect student was expelled for 30 days from school.

She said her daughter is afraid to go to school because friends of the expelled student may retaliate.

"My daughter walks out into the hallway from her class and it's like she's crossing the street, her friend was saying. She looks both ways to see if she can go where she needs to go," Dayett said. "She shakes. I've had to sleep with her two nights since Friday because all she does it have nightmares."

Dayett claims the assault disrupted her daughter's learning because she doesn't feel safe.

"What really irritates me is she reported it on Monday and nothing was done and she was attacked on Friday, and I find that inexcusable," she said.

She asked what the school board would do to protect her child. Members of the audience appeared to agree with Dayett in seeking answers.

"We're all here to support her and her child, and all of our children because just talking to parents around since this incident happened, I've come across about 30 different incidents that everybody's children are afraid," said Moses Lake resident Lucilla Anderson.

Anderson spoke in support of more school security.

Dayett said the violence seems to be primarily an issue at the high school. She said some Moses Lake parents send their children to Soap Lake or Wilson Creek to go to high school, but she's not willing to do it.

"It's not fair to them," husband Jeff Dayett added.

Moses Lake resident Mary Martinez said her granddaughter, a high school student, is afraid to go to school.

"She's told me that she's afraid to even go to school because there's fights every day and at the halls. She can't even walk because it's so crowded in there," Martinez said. "And if somebody pushes somebody, then the fight starts right there and it's just really terrible in there."

Responding to claims there is a lack of security at the high school, De Benedetti said there are two security officers and a school resource officer who splits his time between schools, including Moses Lake High School. A second resource officer covers most of the other schools.

"We're not likely going to say, 'Oh, your 30 days is up. You're back in school,'" said school board member Randy Bruce. "That's not going to happen. There is going to be a lot of things that are going to happen before this goes. I would personally like to hear from the high school, principal, and the security staff. I would personally like to hear what their plans are on being able to make our schools safe. I'm appalled, to be honest with you."

Board President Allan Burritt said, "Like Randy said, she won't go back to school until-"

"Until her 30 days are up," Dayett interrupted.

"No, not necessarily," Burritt clarified. "It depends on, number one, what takes place in court on Tuesday."

He said the court would determine whether the restraining order is awarded, which will determine whether she has the capability to return to school.

Moses Lake resident Dan Folger said his daughter was brought in as a witness to the assault.

"Ever since she was brought into the principals' office to witness this, she's been threatened every single day since," Folger said.

Malinda Folger said the expelled girls' friends saw her daughter go in as a witness.

"You snitch. I will beat you so bad, you will wish you were dead," Folger said, reading a piece of paper.

Bruce confirmed from the parents the threatening students are still in school.

De Benedetti planned to look into it Friday.

Board members Lew Mason and Vicki Groff were absent from the meeting.