Freedom students 'still feel safe' on campus but 'upset' over stabbing incident | News

“They were upset that the reputation they built here was being damaged,” Amaro said. “They intentionally flooded the internet with positive images of the lunch break and everything else to say, 'This is the Freedom High School we know, not an isolated incident.'”

Last Friday, two Freedom students got into an argument during one of the school's early recesses. One of the students dropped a knife from his pocket during the argument, and after picking up the knife, he chased the student and eventually ran off campus. The student with the knife, an unidentified 16-year-old boy, was eventually arrested by Oakley police after being escorted back to campus by campus supervisors and school security. He was booked into a juvenile detention center where he was charged with several charges, including pointing a weapon, according to Oakley police. No one was injured in the incident.

Amaro says the school followed proper protocol regarding how the situation unfolded.

“The student eventually ran off campus,” he explained. “Otherwise we might be talking about a lockdown procedure.”

Amaro added that parents at the school have reached out to him via email and the school's social media account, thanking him and Freedom staff for their quick response to the incident.

“Few have contacted me,” he said. “It seems to be widely accepted that the school was quick to respond, quick to make sure everyone was safe, and quick to inform parents to let them know exactly what happened. Transparent leadership is important, so if you have any questions, please contact me.”

Threats against students or armed students on campus are nothing new for Freedom.

In September 2021, a Freedom student was involved in a fight and was caught with a knife in her possession. She was then taken into custody on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

Last October, a shooting occurred at a house party in Oakley near the campus on Shannon Way. Just two days later, the school was hit with a false threat on social media that an armed student was on campus, forcing parents at the school to keep their children home from class for a day.

Last Friday's incident also follows a recent nationwide trend of violence or threats of violence against students on campus. Modesto High School was recently temporarily evacuated after a false bomb threat was received on the school's social media account. Earlier this month, two students and two teachers were killed and nine others injured at Apalachee High School in Georgia after a student opened fire on campus.

Amaro says it is currently challenging for schools across the country to deal with potential violence on campus.

“This is a challenge on a national level,” Amaro said. “From Georgia, from Modesto, from Freedom High School. How do we connect our students and show them that they are valuable? How do we make them understand that there are consequences for their choices when they choose to engage in behaviors that harm other people.

With the Homecoming parade and Friday night's game approaching, Amaro said the Freedom community is now even more motivated to show off its better sides.

“Homecoming is about welcoming the entire community back to campus to prove that the traditions established by the community will be upheld,” Amaro said. “I think our students are excited to show that Freedom is a great school. But to start the week with something so negative – how do you recover from that?

“That is the challenge we face this week: to show the community that we are freedom and that we will change the world.”