North Ridge student found with 'chemical substance'
A 'concerning chemical mixture' made by a student was found at North Ridge Middle School Friday afternoon, prompting the school to reach out for assistance from the Danville Fire Department and police, according to an email sent out to parents.
'While there was no immediate danger, the situation was serious enough to involve the school's Behavioral Threat Assessment team and law enforcement. All students and staff remained safe,' the email said.
The student(s) involved will face disciplinary action as well as possible criminal charges as the investigation continues, according to the email.
This incident comes about on the tails of a bout of violence at the middle school this school year, including a fight involving at least 17 students who were disciplined.
Amy McCarty, a parent, called on the board to investigate at the last board meeting on April 9 after North Ridge administration failed to inform her of an incident involving her 12-year-old son.
Another student strangled him with a computer charger and threw chairs at him, causing the school administration to check him for marks, which they say he did not have.
McCarty said the school never told her about the incident, however, and she only learned about it a week later when a North Ridge teacher mentioned it to her in passing.
'The Dean told me she hadn't contacted me because my son said he was fine,' McCarty said, adding that her son 'does not carry the responsibility of deciding whether I, his parent, should be informed after he's been attacked. This is not his job, that is your job.'
There were 17 pages worth of calls placed to the Danville Police Department for help at North Ridge over the last 2.5 school years, McCarty learned after she filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Danville Police Department asking for records of police calls, incidents, and responses to the school.
'Your child's safety is our utmost importance, as the district emphasizes its commitment to maintaining a safe school environment,' the Friday email said.
An administrator for D118 said they were unable to respond to calls for comment Friday as they were still dealing with the situation, while Danville Police Chief Yates did not respond before press time.
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