LAME DEER — The Lame Deer Public Schools superintendent recently hosted a town hall meeting and parents wanted to hear about what happened during an incident last week.
Superintendent Theresa Keel said she's been advised by the district's lawyers not to say anything, but the parents were not happy with that answer.
"If you are here to ask any questions or hear about an incident that is being put all over Facebook, that will not be discussed this evening," Keel said at the beginning of the meeting.
For Keel, the main part of the meeting was introducing newly hired athletic director Charles Roberts from Mississippi on a Zoom call.
A crowd gathered in the Lame Deer school board room on Monday seeking answers.
Grandparents and legal guardians of a 12-year-old student claimed the girl was pepper sprayed by Keel.
According to the girl's grandparents, she was taken to the emergency room with swelling in her face.
The girl's grandmother was working at the school when she was alerted by a co-worker.
"I went down and checked on my granddaughter and she was putting eyedrops in her eyes," said Clementine Seminole.
Keel confirmed to MTN News that there was an incident of some kind but wouldn't elaborate, only saying it didn't involve pepper spray or mace as alleged.
Approximately 50 concerned citizens showed up to the meeting and many expressed frustrations during public comment.
"How do we know that we're gonna be safe out there?" one woman asked Keel.
"Do you even care?" another woman asked Keel. "You should have pride and leave on your own."
Many of those parents asked the board members present to suspend or even fire Keel.
"They should have had a special meeting right away," Ambrose Seminole, Sr. said about Keel's alleged incident with his daughter. "That's what I think. You know, clear this up, because like it's getting out of hand here."
"The legal counsel is seeking an external investigator, someone not within the community or the board or me to look into the situation so that the truth of that situation comes out," Keel said.
According to some parents leaving the meeting, a special board meeting has been called for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
