Knoxville Superintendent Cassi Pearson has emailed parents in the district about recent safety incidents.

The letter to parents below:

 Update on Recent Safety Incidents

Dear Families,

In the past few days, two separate incidents have prompted us to share a reminder about our

expectations when it comes to school safety.

On Saturday evening during the homecoming dance, a 9th grade student brought a knife to the

event. Another student immediately reported the situation to the police officers present, and the

matter is currently under investigation. The student will face disciplinary action in accordance

with district policy.

On Monday morning, a 1st grade student brought a small knife to school. Our School Resource

Officer spoke with the child about what is and is not appropriate to bring to school, and

administrators have addressed the matter with the family.

As a reminder, our district policy strictly forbids weapons (as well as items that look like

weapons) on school grounds or at school events. We ask that you speak with your child about

this important rule and the serious consequences for violating it.

We applaud those who reported their concerns as soon as they were aware of them. They did

the right thing, and we encourage others to do the same if they find themselves in a similar

situation in the future.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe.

Sincerely,

Cassi Pearson

Superintendent