The school district met with nearly 100 parents Monday evening at the school's cafeteria. Parents talked about some of their own children being the victim's of bullying. Some of them said they want the district to develop better communications with them when these incidents occur. And others said they want more programs to deal with this problem.
Parents were shocked at the news. One parent, who did not want to be identified, said her son has also been the target of bullies.
"He didn't want to do anything, he said because the boys are bigger than him, but they mess with him like several times during the week just outside on the playground," she said.
Police were called to the elementary school around 8:05 a.m.
As parents were dropping their kids off, police say the fifth grader entered the faculty lounge and grabbed an 8-inch kitchen knife.
"He then walked into the hallway with it. He wasn't brandishing it or threatening anyone with it. He was just walking with it," Hayward police Sgt. Ken Forkus said.
Parent Chris Wolosz was startled when he saw the 10-year-old boy holding a knife.
"And then I kinda walked towards the kid a little bit. So, he turned and looked at me and another dad kinda hit him from behind and knocked him down and the third dad picked up the knife and that was it," he said.
The boy reportedly told school staff that he was tired of being bullied.
Wolosz' 9-year-old daughter Samantha says she and her friends try to avoid the student who's been accused of being that bully.
"That's the girl who's been bullying the kid. And she's just out of control. She can't control herself. And me and my friends just stay away from her," she said.
Some parents said the school needs to do more to stop bullying.
One parent Gina Kellogg said one school sponsored event called Purple Week isn't enough.
"It was for bullying, you had to wear purple. And it was just for against bullying," Kellogg said.
Vic: But no other meetings?
"Not that I was aware of. I didn't even know about this until I got to school," Kellogg said.
One parent suffered a minor cut on his hand as he disarmed the boy, but medical attention was not needed.
No other injuries were reported, and the school was not placed on lockdown.
The boy was placed on a psychiatric hold, which can last up to 72 hours.
The student was also placed on a psychiatric hold by police a year ago but Forkus said he did not know the circumstances of that incident.
Bay City News contributed to this story.
