Systemic Safety Concerns at Perry Township Schools After Student Slashing Incident

A 12-year-old boy was slashed on the wrist by a girl in a Perry Township school, sparking concerns over systemic safety issues in the district. Lawyers for the injured student say that what happened can be linked to broader problems with safety.

"There was a student with a razor blade who was trying to cut off his friend's hair, and instead of cutting off his friend's hair, they slashed his arm," attorney Catherine Michael said.

The student is still struggling with the impact of what happened. "He's very anxious to even go back to school. He's having a lot of issues with that. It's not just a one-time thing where he got slashed and stitched up and everything's well, because it's not," attorney Tammy Meyer said.

The lawyers claim this is another example of how the district has fostered an unsafe learning environment. They also represent a family suing the district over a separate incident in which their son was brutally punched from behind, fell down stairs, and suffered serious injuries.

"We believe these facts will not support the false narrative being portrayed about our southside community and our schools," a spokesperson for Perry Township Schools said in a statement. "We ask that our community, parents, and students continue to work with us as we have important conversations about safety, treating everyone with respect, reporting important information, and how to resolve disputes or conflict in an appropriate manner."

Right now, the 12-year-old who slashed the child's wrist is facing charges in Marion County Juvenile Court. Lawyers say it's a good start, but not enough.

"The school has to be held accountable too, because they are the ones that are allowing this atmosphere of violence," Meyer said.

The family has not taken any legal action against the district yet, but once their lawyers complete their investigation, they could.