OTTUMWA —
A 12-year-old boy suspected of numerous incidents of verbal harassment has been arrested.
According to a statement issued by the Ottumwa Police Department, officers took the boy into custody after investigating complaints of alleged harassment from at least 21 students at Evans Middle School.
“The Ottumwa Community School District and the Ottumwa Police Department partner together to provide the safest learning environment possible for students and staff at Evans Middle School,” said Chief Jim Clark of the OPD.
Principal Dan Maeder at Evans agreed. Though school district policy prohibits releasing any disciplined child’s name, Maeder told the Courier that he could confirm one of their students was charged by police.
Maeder said before involving authorities, school officials went through their own procedures. They also contacted parents of students who had been harassed so they’d be aware of what was going on in school.
“We just want all of our families here at Evans to know we are diligent, that when we have kids come to us [with a harassment complaint], we look into it.”
When they did, he said, they uncovered additional, similar incidents by the same student. The principal characterized the harassment as mostly being inappropriate comments made to other students.
Neither assaults nor threats of violence appeared to be involved. Iowa law says a person commits harassment when they contact another person with the intent to threaten, intimidate or alarm them to no good purpose.
But some of the things the boy said shocked parents enough that they contacted police.
“That is within the rights of parents,” Maeder said.
Harassment is a simple misdemeanor, said Chief Clark.
“Whenever we receive complaints of a student harassing others,” Clark said, “we will investigate and take the appropriate action to ensure each student is free from threats or intimidation.”
Police say the youth was released to a parent.
Local News
Police arrest Evans student for harassment
Inappropriate comments to other students led parents to call the police
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