District Statement Related to Homecoming Parade Incident
October 4, 2024 Updated Statement From Linn-Mar Community School District
This afternoon the City of Marion Police Department issued an updated statement related to their investigation of reported events that occurred during our Homecoming parade. The statement reads:
Last week, it was reported that a group of students was taunted and subjected to name-calling during the Linn-Mar Homecoming Parade and that a knife/box cutter had been thrown at a member of the group. The Marion Police Department was notified of the incident and opened an investigation.
After interviewing several students and parade participants, the Police Department has been unable to substantiate the allegation regarding the knife/box cutter being thrown at anyone. This appears to be a case of several individuals putting together bits and pieces of information which resulted in an inaccurate portrayal of what occurred.
The Marion Police Department takes allegations and threats of violence seriously and appreciates the cooperation of the students and the Linn-Mar Community School District on this matter. Community members are encouraged to say something when they see suspicious activity and report dangerous behavior to the proper authorities. Anyone with additional information about this incident should contact the Marion Police Department at 319-377-1511.
We believe that every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued in our schools, and we want to continue to encourage our students to come forward any time they have information about something that makes them feel unsafe. We also appreciate the Marion Police Department’s continued investigation of these reports. We encourage anyone with additional information about the reported harassment or other events at last week’s Homecoming parade to speak with the Marion Police Department.
Together, we can ensure that all students feel supported, and that our school community remains a place of learning and acceptance for everyone. Thank you for being an essential part of our school district community.
Superintendent Amy Kortemeyer
Message from the District – Wednesday, September 26, 2024
We were saddened to learn that an otherwise spectacular Homecoming parade last evening was disrupted by a few individuals who elected to harass, ridicule, and throw objects at some of our students in the Linn-Mar Spectrum parade entry. This behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our district.
District staff reached out today to reassure the students in our Spectrum organization of our continued support, and are partnering with law enforcement on its investigation into these events. We are dedicated to ensuring that all students feel safe, respected, and valued, and will not condone actions that threaten them.
-Linn-Mar Community School District