Rialto, CA — The Rialto Unified School District Board of Education faced a storm of criticism from concerned parents this past week during a contentious meeting held in response to a recent violent incident at Frisbie Middle School.

On October 11, an eighth grade student was stabbed on campus, allegedly while defending another student from a bully.

The incident has left the community demanding accountability from the school board and district officials.

Sandra Aguilar, the mother of the injured student, spoke at the meeting, expressing frustration with the school’s handling of bullying complaints and safety concerns.

Aguilar revealed that her son had repeatedly reported being bullied, and she felt his concerns were not taken seriously by school administrators until it was too late. Her son was hospitalized following the stabbing.

“Who listened to my son?” Aguilar asked during her emotional plea, bringing attention to what she called a breakdown in communication between students and staff regarding bullying on campus.

The meeting, held on Wednesday night, quickly escalated when Aguilar sought the floor to address the board.

She was interrupted by Edgar Montes, the vice president of the Rialto Unified School District Board, who asked her to wait until the designated public comment period to speak.

This request was followed by an outcry from the audience, with many parents voicing their support for Aguilar and demanding she be allowed to speak immediately.

As Aguilar was approached by police officers, tensions in the room intensified, with parents shouting at board members to let her continue.

Montes later addressed the concerns of the community, acknowledging the board’s responsibility to address safety issues but urging patience as the investigation into the incident unfolds.

“As a school board member, the buck stops with us,” Montes said. “The school board, not the principal, not even the superintendent — we are the ones accountable.”

Montes emphasized the importance of following proper procedures when addressing issues within the district, encouraging parents to raise concerns through the appropriate channels.

“You start at the school, you start with the principal and the administration,” he explained. “If you’re not satisfied with them, then you go to the district office and seek out the superintendent and his team. If you still feel like you’re not being heard, then you come to the school board.”

Despite Montes’ attempts to outline the process, many parents at the meeting felt that their concerns had already been dismissed for too long.

They questioned the effectiveness of the district’s anti-bullying policies and the responsiveness of school officials.

Aguilar herself stated that the student who stabbed her son was not expelled until after she had filed multiple complaints, raising concerns about the timeliness and adequacy of the school’s actions.

“I’m a parent too. We’re parents too,” Montes said in an attempt to relate to the concerns of the room. “Some of us still have kids in the schools, some of us, our kids are already grown, but regardless, we’re members of this community. We’re elected by you to represent you and your families.”

Parents, however, expressed doubt that their voices were being truly represented, and several in the audience pushed for more transparency and faster action in light of the stabbing.

They questioned why there had been a delay in addressing bullying complaints and why the situation had escalated to such violence.

One parent in attendance who declined to give her name stated that her child had also experienced bullying at Frisbie Middle School, raising concerns that the incident involving Aguilar’s son was not an isolated event. “We’ve been asking for more support, more supervision, and stronger policies on bullying for a long time. It shouldn’t take something like this for the district to finally start listening.”

Montes, while expressing empathy, noted the limitations of the board’s involvement in day-to-day school operations.

“Processes have to be played out, and everybody has a right to tell their side of the story,” he said, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation before rushing to conclusions.

He added that while the stabbing was a tragedy, more information was needed to fully understand the circumstances leading up to the attack.

“The article that came out in the newspaper only told one side of the story,” Montes said. “In any investigation, there are two sides. We don’t know all the details yet, but we’re going to do everything we can to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Despite these reassurances, parents at the meeting made it clear that they expected more immediate action from the district, both in terms of addressing bullying and ensuring the safety of students.

Many also called for increased accountability from the school board itself, with one parent stating, “It’s time for the board to step up and take responsibility. Our children deserve better.”

As the meeting continued, the board promised to review its anti-bullying policies and work closely with school administrators to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The investigation into the stabbing incident is ongoing, and district officials have vowed to keep the community informed of any updates as they become available.