Parents say 5th grade is too young for middle school stress

By Patric Hedlund with added reporting by Nide Zimemo

Trustees were surprised at the beginning of the El Tejon Unified School District meeting last week (May 8) when two mothers—the current and incoming president of the Frazier Park School PTSO, who both also have 5th graders at El Tejon School—stood to ask about a rumor they’d just heard about a gun allegedly found on the middle school campus. Another parent said he had been told a live round of ammunition was…
To see full stories with photos, please go to The Mountain Enterprise e-Edition
(login required) or see the print edition of The Mountain Enterprise, on newsstands now.

Photo captions:  As their children play behind them, upcoming and current president of Frazier Park School’s PTSO, (l-r) Jennifer Underwood and Stacey Watson, speak of parents’ concerns about the ETUSD Trustees’ hasty decision to send 5th graders to El Tejon Middle School. Parents spoke at the board meeting on May 8.

Images of letters from Pine Mountain Learning Center and El Tejon Unified School District: In the first three months of 2013, shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, several incidents occurred at ETUSD schools involving threats by students to other students. Law enforcement was informed and deputies investigated quickly. A principal and the superintendent promptly sent letters to parents to explain the events and to suggest that parents talk with their children about using words carefully. No such letter was sent to inform parents about the recent El Tejon School incident.

Have your newspaper delivered via mail and include internet access! Just call 661-245-3794. You’ll also find this story and othersright now in in The Mountain Enterprise on newsstands throughout the Mountain Communities.

This is part of the May 16, 2014 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you.