FRANKSVILLE, Wis. — Raymond School in Franksville, Racine County was in a soft lockdown Wednesday due to "possible disruptions," according to the school's superintendent.
The Racine Police Department said as of 2:30 p.m., no Racine Unified School District (RUSD) schools were on lockdown.
Raymond School Superintendent Michael Garvey shared a letter sent to families informing them of the "modified soft lock down." That means students will continue learning in the building but that staff will supervise students from class to class and that no visitors will be allowed inside the facility on Wednesday.
Read the letter to families below:
Out of an abundance of caution and to avoid any further distractions from learning, I placed the school in a modified soft lock down for today. Students and staff will continue the instruction and learning as normally scheduled. Students will be supervised as they move from class to class. However, visitors will not be allowed inside our building today. Our priority is student learning and all students will continue their learning today. This soft lockdown is due to possible disruptions and is not based on a threat to our students.
At least one parent said she picked up her daughter because the reasoning for lockdown was too vague.
"They never really gave us a reason. They said I could come pick her up if I wanted to. So it's like that's kind of fishy to me so I did come and pick her up," Kristie Drew said.
"It was implied it was because of my requests that they were putting the school on lockdown," parent Mitchell Berman said.
Berman said after dropping his daughter off at Raymond School he made an open records request at the office. Berman maintains that he was polite and the interaction did not escalate but he was escorted out and told the school was going on lockdown.
"I feel like lockdown was more disruptive than any standard open record," Berman stated. "There's a complete lack of transparency. That is completely true. There are many other things that are happening that I don't think people are aware of, and if they came to the board meetings, they would see what's actually going on."
Wednesday's lockdown came the same day as a special board meeting. It was scheduled last week, but the structure was modified on Tuesday.
The amended notice cited several written threats of violence received by school district officials before explaining the public can watch the meeting remotely or in a provided viewing room.
Board members are expected to go into closed session to discuss a number of subjects including an administrator's employment. Several parents contacted TMJ4 News stating that the current principal Jeff Peterson's job was on the line.
Superintendent Garvey did not respond to my question about if the lockdown was tied to the Berman's in person records request.
When TMJ4 News reached a board member they directed us to their attorney who says the district is working with law enforcement to look into threats and other incidents.
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