By Corky Siemaszko -
NBC News
Parents in a suburban Kentucky school district don't want a teen who allegedly created a “hitlist” of students to kill back in the classroom with their children, administrators have told.
The parents spoke last week after learning that the Boone County Board of Education had allowed
the 14-year-old suspect to return to school despite being charged with second-degree terrorist threats.
“Regardless of the help he has received, he is still a threat,” Deanne Corbin, a mother, told a Boone County school board meeting, located across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, according to the local WLWT network. affiliate of NBC News.
One parent, Rob Bidleman, who claimed his son was on the suspected teen's "kill list," struggled to contain his emotions as he described the news he had been given by Andy Wyckoff, the principal at Conner High School.
Conner High School in Hebron, Kentucky.Google Maps
“When I got the call from the director, it was emotionally devastating
,” Bidleman said.
"All I could think was that my son was in danger when he did nothing wrong."
Another mother, Karen Wells, assured that Wyckoff has been in a difficult situation because her own son was one of the threatened students.
“I don't think it's the right decision for the administration,” Wells said.
“I think it puts an unnecessary burden on Mr. Wyckoff, who has his own child on that list.
He has to be impartial every day and give this young man what he needs.
Obviously,
this kid needs a supportive community to help him because one day he's going to be a part of our society."
[How can a 6 year old shoot his teacher? Easy access to weapons and audiovisual violence increase the risk]
Wyckoff told NBC News on Monday that because the 14-year-old is a minor, his records are sealed and he is not aware of the status of the charges against him.
The principal was also adamant that his son will remain at the Connor Institute despite being one of the threatened students.
Conner High School in Hebron, Kentucky.Google Maps
“I am aware that some parents have transferred their children to other schools, but I will not transfer to mine,” he said.
On Friday, Boone County School District Superintendent Matthew Turner
said in a letter to parents that their hands are tied
and urged them to "talk to your local state legislator."
“The Kentucky Constitution guarantees the right to a public education for all children without bias, and we are required to follow state law,” Turner wrote.
But the children, Turner wrote, will be safe.
“I can assure you that all appropriate security measures have been taken and are in place,” the superintendent wrote.
“Conner High School continues to be a safe school.”
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In a separate case, another 14-year-old Connor High School student was arrested last year for posting online that he
was going to "bring a knife to school" to kill a
specific teacher, the Boone County Sheriff's Office reported on October 19.
That student was also charged with second-degree terroristic threats, the department said.
"That's a different case that I'll be dealing with soon," Wyckoff said.
“This is a good school.
It's not the kind of thing we usually deal with."