On Friday, October 15, students at John H. Guyer High School staged a walkout to protest how the school is handling an alleged sexual assault. Hundreds of students left the building at 10 a.m., according to CBSDFW.
Organizers of the walkout said it was to protest a sexual assault that allegedly occurred on campus. The Denton Record-Chronicle claims the alleged assault took place on October 6. Parents also showed up during the protest.
One parent told CBSDFW, “Our kids deserve to be safe and we need to trust that adults are going to do the right thing when no one’s looking… and they’re still not doing it, and it’s not right.”
Another parent, Jennifer Jenkinson, said, “It’s time. This has been going on since eighth grade. These kids are seniors. It’s time.”
According to the Denton Independent School District, they are working with the Denton Police Department to investigate the alleged assault. School officials sent a statement to CBSDFW to say how the situation was being handled.
“Recently, school officials were made aware of allegations of a situation that occurred on a high school campus between two students,” the statement said. “Denton ISD is in full cooperation with local law enforcement officials, who are currently conducting a thorough investigation.”
The Police Department is in charge of the investigation’s timeline, according to school officials.
In the statement, the district said, “While we cannot comment on the specifics of this police investigation, we want to assure our community that the safety and well-being of our students and staff is always our top priority.”
Guyer Principal Dr. Shaun Perry sent a letter to parents before the protest urging students not to participate.
“Our expectation for all students is that they remain in class, and that teaching and learning continue,” Perry’s letter said. “The safety and security of our learning community remains our top priority, so we will adhere to the following expectations and ask that you share them with your student.”
The letter stated that officials would take attendance, security personnel would be monitoring the site, and no visitors would be allowed to participate.
“I have shared these expectations with our faculty and staff, and each of us stand ready to assist our students as we move forward,” Perry said. “Our staff works tirelessly to provide the safest possible learning environment that fosters healthy relationships. A key part of Guyer High School’s reputation is built on the accomplishments of our students and staff. How we treat one another, including in-person and online, also plays a part in that reputation. Please join me as I continue to celebrate the outstanding learning I see happening every day in our classrooms. I trust you will do the same.”
A spokesperson for the Denton Police Department sent a statement to CBSDFW to say they would continue to release information if charges were filed or the investigation was closed.
The statement said, “We can confirm at this time that we are thoroughly investigating a sexual assault report made by a juvenile student.”