Parents react to 22-year-old man who posed as White Bear Lake student
Fraudulent student at White Bear Lake High School
Families at White Bear Lake High School are outraged after finding out that someone enrolled at the school was not who he claimed to be.
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Families at White Bear Lake High School are outraged after finding out that someone enrolled in the school was not who he claimed to be.
Fraudulent student at White Bear Lake High School
What we know:
According to authorities, the individual used fraudulent documents and a false identity to gain admission to the school.
Parents told FOX 9 they believe the man may have been preying on female students. Now they are demanding accountability from school leaders.
"They just feel very unsafe, and they were really hurt by it. I think we’ll be having some pretty tough conversations. Everyone is so afraid for our kids’ safety," April Jorgenson, a parent of three, told FOX 9. "There is no explanation for how this man got into our schools. He was allowed in the locker room with the football players. He was allowed in activities with these kids and just so many safeguards were missed."
As of Tuesday, authorities say the man is in police custody and has been barred from all district property.
"I think the school needs to make some huge changes, and they need to apologize to us and make sure that we know that our kids are safe here," Jorgenson said.
School emails parents
What they're saying:
The district sent out the following email this week:
"I am reaching out to WBLAHS students and families to provide an update in response to a recent report of an individual who is alleged to have enrolled in our high school using fraudulent documentation and a false identity.
"We received reports that an individual enrolled at WBLAHS was over the age of 21 and promptly started an investigation. Upon our initial investigation, we have determined that while enrolling this individual we followed our enrollment process, which is as rigorous as state law allows. The individual appears to have provided fraudulent documentation and a false identity to enroll.
"The individual in question is currently in police custody and is not allowed on any district property.
We are continuing to investigate the situation and are working closely with the White Bear Lake Police Department, which is also conducting an investigation.
"Please rest assured that the safety and well-being of all students is our top priority. I am grateful to the staff members, families and students who saw something and decided to report it. These reports led to our investigation. We take all concerns seriously, and appropriate steps are taken any time there is a potential threat to student safety."