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Ravenna High School parent charged for threating violence against school employees

On March 2, an altercation at the school involved a call to 911. The parent was issued a no trespass order and charged with threatening the school.
Credit: Ravenna Public Schools

RAVENNA, Mich. — The Muskegon County Sheriff's Department was called to Ravenna High School's parking lot on March 2 after staff called police about a verbal confrontation between students and an angry parent showing up to school. 

The school first shared a short Facebook post around 10:15 a.m. that morning to squash social media rumors regarding the situation. 

Mr. Helmer and Mr. Wilson are in the HS parking lot and are meeting with a parent in regards to a verbal dispute. There...

Posted by Ravenna High School on Wednesday, March 2, 2022

A no trespassing order was sent to the parent on March 2 with specific communication protocols. 

As of March 16, charges have been filed against the parent by the Muskegon County Sheriff's Department. The person is charged with Intentional Threat to Commit an Act of Violence Against a School, School Employees or Students. 

Superintendent Greg Helmer says at no point was there an internal threat inside the high school, and no lockdowns were needed.

The High School Principal, Justin Wilson, was addressing a verbal dispute between high school students at the time. Helmer said this dispute has been ongoing and some have been disciplined in the past. 

The threat the school was concerned about was related to a phone conversation and a voicemail message left by an irate parent. 

Helmer said he was on the phone with the school's principal, en route to the parking lot when he used his truck as a barricade to prevent the parent from nearing the school. 

Together, Helmer and Wilson were able to deescalate as they waited for the Sheriff's Department to arrive. 

Once authorities showed up, the school turned the situation over to deputies. 

According to the Muskegon County Sheriff's Office, "It originally came out as a threat where a parent was on their way to the school and mentioned harming a student. As it turned out, the person reporting it to dispatch had misunderstood the situation."

Authorities say the parent was upset about about another student making threats toward their child, but that they never threatened to harm anyone. 

You can read the full letter to parents from March 2 here: 

Update from Mr. Helmer - 911 Incident at High School Today

Posted by Ravenna High School on Wednesday, March 2, 2022

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