Jenny Thomas, a parent of a student at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, testifies on school safety concerns at a Juneau Board of Education meeting on Tuesday. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Jenny Thomas, a parent of a student at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, testifies on school safety concerns at a Juneau Board of Education meeting on Tuesday. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

High school fights in Juneau beginning to decline, but parents want more action

Juneau Board of Education hears requests for their members to be leaders in school safety.

Before taking public testimony on non-agenda items at a Juneau Board of Education meeting Tuesday, Deedie Sorenson, president of the board, said, “everything that we hear or read on social media is not necessarily factual and it is important to really always, always remember that.”

“Pictures aren’t rumors,” Shannan Greene, a parent of a high schooler attending HomeBridge, responded when it was her turn to offer testimony.

The exchange was part of a discussion about an increase in fights this school year in the recently consolidated middle and high schools. Some fights between students have been posted on social media in what officials have called a concerning national trend, although the frequency of local high school fights has declined the past few months, according to the district’s superintendent.

Greene said her son was attending Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé until October when he transitioned to HomeBRIDGE, which Greene said she is happy about due to recent violence at JDHS.

“My recommendation that I’m just going to put out there is what I would call a safety stand-down,” she said.

Greene said there is a need for transparency from the school board and an opportunity for leadership. She said she has a military background; a safety stand-down is a temporary pause in normal activities to address a specific issue or concern. She said recent violence in the Juneau School District needs to be publicly addressed.

JSD Superintendent Frank Hauser said one fight is one fight too many.

A report in November showed high school fights have increased in the past two years. On Tuesday, Hauser said they are on the decline with six in September, two in October, zero in November, two in December and one so far in January. Statistics on fights at Thunder Mountain Middle School were not available at the time of the meeting.

He said no weapons were involved in a January incident at JDHS and it did not cause disruptions throughout the school day. However, he said, “I want to be very clear that this does not minimize the incident between two students that occurred.”

The Juneau Police Department has school resource officers who work with the district to address incidents such as fights. Inventory of security cameras at all JSD facilities was recently completed through the Facilities Committee. Currently, JDHS has 22 security cameras, two of which are offline, according to Kristy Germain, the operations director. A security assessment is ongoing. Most cameras around schools are at the front door, certain areas around the school, and around the perimeter.

“We want actions to see improvement,” Elizabeth Siddon, a school board member, said. She suggested a specialized task force on violence that could potentially bring in behavioral specialists to the school.

Amber Frommherz, another member of the board, said she believes an assembly held at JDHS could be helpful to remind students of the community they co-create.

Like Greene, she referenced her military background, calling the school board the “captain” the responsibility falls upon. She said credit should be given to the students continuing to attend and study in an environment where fights are occurring.

Frommherz also requested to know what happens “behind the scenes” after a fight takes place.

Hauser said while limited information can be released on the incidents due to privacy of individual students, a standard process of how fights are responded to and investigated can be provided to the board.

In an interview, he said along with the school district investigating footage that’s recorded on school grounds, community members can report fight videos and pictures to social media platforms.

“Any time that videos get posted of violent acts or really any act that takes place at school, I mean, it’s of concern because it has an impact on the school climate,” he said. “Anytime school officials are made aware of that, we try to go through and investigate to find out who is posting the videos and work to have those videos removed. If they’re posted on a social media site, you can report those to social media sites to request — especially if it’s a violent act against kids — if something gets posted like that, social media sites will usually review those and pull those down.”

David Noon, who is the chair of the board’s Policy Committee, said in an interview after the meeting that a cellphone policy for the district is being reviewed. The topic will be discussed next in a meeting on Jan. 30.

“A number of school districts like the LA Unified School District have implemented blanket prohibitions on cellphones on campuses and there’s a lot of dialogue about the degree to which students are just constantly distracted by their phones,” he said.

Noon said although the policy review stems from a national conversation around cellphone use in schools, the ease at which students can post videos online and create cyberbullying accounts is a factor to be considered. During the meeting, he noted it is the second time this school year violence was discussed during a board meeting, and that is “completely unacceptable.”

The Alaska Legislature and state department of education are also considering cellphone restrictions.

In October 2024, a resolution asked the State School Board to charge the Department of Education and Early Development with the task of drafting a model policy to adopt and enforce the restriction of student cell phone usage during school hours. Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat, prefiled Senate Bill 18 on Jan. 10. SB18 would ban cellphones and other “wireless telecommunications devices” not issued by a school during regular school hours, including lunches and passing periods, although exceptions would be permitted for emergencies.

• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz.garrett@juneauempire.com or (907) 723-9356.

More in News

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Aurora forecast through the week of Feb. 1

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. President Trump shared a quotation on social media, making it clear it was one he wanted people to absorb: “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” (Al Drago/The New York Times)
Trump: ‘He who saves his Country does not violate any Law’

Quote sometimes attributed to Napoleon posted on White House’s official X account.

Members of the Alaska State Employees Association and AFSCME Local 52 holds a protest on the steps of the Alaska State Capitol on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Alaska state employees rally for more pay and benefits on same day mass federal firings occur

Participants at state Capitol seek revival of pensions, release of state salary data withheld by governor.

Jonathan Rasch skates back to shore with his dog after spending hours looking for a man who fell through the ice on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, on Chilkoot Lake near Haines. Rasch was skating on the lake when he heard the man screaming for help and used his Garmin inReach to call for help. (Rashah McChesney/Chilkat Valley News)
After Haines man disappears, locals and state officials warn of the dangers of ice skating on lake

After Haines man disappears, locals and state officials warn of the dangers of ice skating on lake

A U.S. Forest Service office sign in Juneau on Feb. 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Trump’s federal layoffs hit wide range of Alaska agencies on Friday, with fears of many more to come

Murkowski: “Trying to get answers about the impact…but the response so far has been evasive and inadequate.”

A shelter staff member takes a dog who is currently boarding at Juneau Animal Rescue outside on Feb. 13, 2025. The animal shelter needs more space both outside and in, according to the executive director. It could also use a guillotine door to allow dogs easier access to the outdoors. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Animal Rescue hopes to be ‘feline’ the love at annual fundraiser

The shelter is still in need of a new building and hopes to continue educating the community.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

A building directory in Juneau’s federal building lists departments, such as the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Forest Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Mass firings ordered by Trump administration, including nearly 10% of U.S. Forest Service

HUD plans 50% staff cut, scrutiny of “every dollar spent in serving tribal, rural and urban communities.”

Most Read