Parents Allege Security Failures After Student Assault at Peotone Homecoming

Peotone Board of Education Meeting | October 20, 2025

Article Summary: Parents addressed the Peotone school board, alleging significant security lapses during the high school’s homecoming dance that resulted in a student being physically assaulted by a non-student and hospitalized with a concussion. They criticized the lack of adult supervision in the parking lot and an unhelpful response from school administration following the incident.

Peotone Homecoming Incident Key Points:

• A former student was allegedly allowed into the homecoming dance without proper entry requirements.

• Following the dance, the non-student allegedly attacked a current student in the school parking lot, resulting in a “massive concussion.”

• Parents reported a complete lack of adult or police presence in the parking lot when the assault occurred.

• Parents described the administrative response, particularly from a vice principal, as dismissive and unhelpful.

The Peotone Board of Education on Monday, October 20, 2025, heard emotional testimony from parents who detailed a violent assault on a student following the high school’s homecoming dance, attributing the incident to a failure of school security and supervision.

Grace Pratty, a parent, told the board that her son was attacked on school grounds by a former student who had been allowed into the dance. She described the severity of the attack, which she said involved more than 20 hits to the head.

“My son was covered in blood, left behind a puddle of blood at the scene, and was taken to the hospital the following day where he was diagnosed with a massive concussion,” Pratty stated. “The doctor even shared with us how it only takes one punch to lose your life. He took more than 20.”

Pratty expressed deep frustration with the school’s handling of the aftermath. She said that when she went to the school to speak with administrators, a vice principal “failed to introduce herself and requested that I leave or be escorted out of the office.” She claimed that over a week after the incident, neither the school nor the police had contacted her, and her son’s statement had not been taken.

“This shows the school’s failure to keep my students safe and a lack of responsibility,” Pratty said, adding that she has contacted a lawyer. “Had there been proper supervision, police presence, and other safety measures, this entire situation could have been avoided.”

Another parent, Adam Weiss, whose daughter was also involved, corroborated the security concerns. He stated that an “unauthorized individual was allowed entry into the dance, putting everyone at risk.” According to Weiss, this individual later forced entry into his daughter’s car as they were leaving and assaulted her date.

“When she tried to get help, there was not a single adult or police officer in the parking lot for help,” Weiss told the board. “Why are we sending children to a parking lot after 10:00 with no security or adult presence? We thought sending our kids to the dance was safe. It’s the school’s job to keep our children safe and have people in place to protect them.”

Like Pratty, Weiss was also critical of the administration’s response. “When we tried to speak to the school, we were greeted with someone who was rude and condescending and refused to speak to the concerned parents of her students,” he said.

The board did not publicly respond to the parents’ allegations during the meeting.