A public comment was brought to the Carbon School Board’s attention during the regular scheduled meeting on Wednesday evening regarding an altercation that took place in Carbon High School’s (CHS) parking lot in February between two female students.
Ann Prazen, a concerned grandmother of one of the students involved, approached the board to bring awareness to the incidents that are taking place within the Carbon School District (CSD) in hopes of bringing bullying to a halt in her hometown.
According to Prazen, an altercation took place on Feb. 4 between her 14-year-old granddaughter and a 17-year-old female student on Carbon High property. Allegedly, charges were pressed against the older female after the 14-year-old suffered a broken nose that required cosmetic surgery to repair.
“I’m not here to point fingers,” said Prazen. “My objective is to try to figure out some way that our kids can be safe at school, because they’re not.”
Prazen expressed that both students were suspended for five days, which was simply just not enough, in her words. “The consequences that are given to these kids are nothing,” said Prazen.
According to CSD’s student/parent handbook, fighting is categorized as a Class II Intermediate Offense and repercussions include, “parental conference and in-school or out-of-school suspension for 1-10 school days, possible enrollment in prevention and/or social skill program(s).”
Emily Kosmack, the 14-year-old’s mother added, “[The students] know that nothing is going to be done, so they just continue it.”
Prazen expressed that more serious consequences need to be in place, such as expulsion or issuing fines, in hopes that the students think twice before bullying. “I just want something done.”
Carbon School Board President Jeffery Richens stated that many of the disciplinary suggestions that were expressed by community members regarding the incident are already in progress. “We will work through the superintendent, through the principal, through the school to ensure what we can,” said Richens.