Members of the Mars school district community gathered at Tuesday's school board meeting to voice concerns and frustrations with the district's response to a recent incident involving hateful speech and bullying.

ADAMS TWP - In the wake of an incident involving physical violence and "hateful rhetoric" at Mars High School last month, members of the community gathered Tuesday evening at a school board meeting to voice concerns and demand accountability from the district.

Earlier this month, the district responded to rumors on the incident, which reportedly began as bullying and escalated into a physical altercation.

In a letter, Wesley Shipley, superintendent, said the incident was under investigation with the assistance of local law enforcement. The letter did not identify a timeline for the incident, nor did it identify the students involved citing confidentiality laws. Shipley cited district policies dealing with harassment and said such interactions would not be tolerated.

At a board meeting last week, which drew more than 50 people, a dozen residents addressed the board, sharing their own dealings with racism and concerns over the lack of action by the board to the incident, as well as the lack of emphasis on promoting diversity.

Shipley said the district is committed to investigating reports, and is working to bring in speakers to address diversity issues.

On Tuesday, those gathered said while they appreciate that investigations and solutions take time, other issues in the district recently show a pattern. They cited special education issues, a lack of classroom resources, a lack of transparency and treatment of support staff as examples.

The group asked for a public forum to be held to address bullying and diversity issues in the district. Though they want the meeting to be run by students and the community, they asked the district to provide the space and for members of the board and administration to attend.

Read the full story in the Butler Eagle.