PIKETON, Ohio — A contentious school board meeting in Piketon again drew frustrated parents demanding accountability from district leadership over what they say are repeated security failures and a lack of transparency.
Several parents told board members they believe the Scioto Valley Local School District is failing to adequately protect students and is minimizing the seriousness of safety incidents on the Piketon campus.
The concerns come amid ongoing calls for the resignation of Superintendent Wes Hairston and school board member Jeff Cutler. Parents have accused district leadership of downplaying or concealing security breaches, allegations district officials have not publicly addressed in detail.
The latest meeting followed renewed scrutiny of an August incident in which a loaded handgun was brought onto district property. Records previously obtained by the Scioto Valley Guardian indicate a student allegedly had a firearm on a school bus on Aug. 28, 2025. An investigation the following day included interviews, a search using a metal-detecting wand, and a locker check, but no weapon was found at the school at that time.
Below is a video from last night’s school board meeting:
Law enforcement narratives later stated the student admitted to having a handgun at school “the entire day” prior. The firearm was subsequently recovered from a residence under a search warrant, logged into evidence, and test-fired, according to records. Documents tied to an expulsion hearing also include a statement attributed to the student’s father indicating the gun may have been brought to school earlier that same week.
During Tuesday night’s board meeting, parents also pressed officials for answers about a separate security incident that occurred last month involving a non-student gaining access to both a school bus and the Piketon Jr./Sr. High School building.
According to police records, the Dec. 18, 2025, incident began when a sixth-grade student reported that an unfamiliar male who appeared older than the students boarded her school bus. A school resource officer later reviewed security footage showing the male on campus before leaving in a black SUV shortly after 8 a.m.
The individual was later identified as a 17-year-old cousin of two students who was visiting from California. Police determined he was a minor, related to enrolled students, and lawfully present. No criminal activity was found, no threat to students was identified, and the case was closed without charges.
As parents continued to press for explanations on multiple issues during the meeting, tensions escalated. Board members ultimately voted to enter executive session, effectively ending public discussion for the night.
One parent shared their statement to the school board via social media:
Parents leaving the meeting said the move only deepened concerns about transparency and student safety.
As calls for leadership resignations grow louder, parents say they remain uncertain whether the district is taking sufficient steps to ensure their children are safe at Piketon schools.