Screenshot of the petition on Change.org
OSWEGO -- A group of parents have started a petition drive calling on the Oswego City School District to protect their children from a 9-year-old student they call a "child sexual predator."
Emily Miner and Felicia Weber both have children at the Fitzhugh Park Elementary School. They tell CNY Central's Jim Kenyon that parents are upset after learning the district was transferring a 9-year-old who allegedly has a record of sexually assaulting his classmates into the school.
They say the boy was removed from Kingsford Park Elementary School early this year after such incidents.
Miner and Weber say the district needs to place the child in either a home school situation or Fourth Street School in Fulton, which caters to special needs children.
They accuse the Oswego City School District of not taking appropriate action to ensure the safety of all children.
Miner and Weber also say they are not trying to deny a 9-year-old the right to an education.
They say they feel it is unfair to the boy to place him at Fitzhugh Park Elementary School where he would be exposed to other potential victims.
When contacted by phone Oswego City School District Superintendent William Crist said, "We are well aware of the situation at Fitzhugh. We are also aware of the constitutional right of every student to a public education. We continue to provide a safe environment for all students. We enforce the districts call of conduct and provide appropriate discipline for a violation of that code."
By early Tuesday afternoon, more than 60 people had signed the online petition titled, "Oswego City School District, Oswego, NY: Keep a child sexual predator out of our public schools." By late Wednesday morning the petition had over 110 signatures.
Parents say they are also planning to picket on December 4, the day of a school board meeting.
