Parents react to learning about school threats after they were supposed to happen

LAKEVILLE, Ind. --- Parents at LaVille Jr-Sr. High are speaking out after two students were arrested Friday night for plotting to kill some of their classmates at a Halloween themed dance.

The thirteen-year old girls allegedly created a hit list that was circling social media when school officials learned about the threat posed to students.

Many parents were outraged saying the school should have cancelled the dance entirely. Despite this, one parent tells ABC57 while it wasn’t handled perfectly she believes school officials made the right decision in keeping the event going.

“You never want to hear anything about that happening at a school that your kids go to, but I feel like it was dealt with and think that everything was safe," said a parent of two students at LaVille.

Parents received an email Saturday from school officials informing them about the incident. School officials did not inform students or parents of the threat before the dance.

“It would’ve been nice to know before the kids went to the dance that there was an issue going on so that we could’ve maybe prepared ourselves and maybe not let our kids go if we knew that that issue was around," said the parent.

Interim Superintendent Diane Woodworth admits to ABC57 they should have made parents aware sooner.

She went on to say despite this, all protocols were followed by school officials and the students involved were quickly identified and taken into custody. The campus also had an increased police presence that stood by during the event to ensure everyone was safe at all times.

While some parents were outraged school officials didn’t decide to cancel the event - others say they were grateful they followed the proper protocols to still allow some normalcy for their kids.

“I feel like if we try to guard everything so much. I feel like we’re finally letting our kids do things now that the pandemic is over so I mean I think it was handled appropriately," said a parent.

Both students are in custody at the Juvenile Justice Center and are facing very serious charges, including conspiracy to commit murder.