Is Gainesville Middle School safe?

That’s the question we set out to answer earlier this year after a parent was arrested in late 2019 for showing up to the school to complain about her son being bullied. Police were called, and they allege the parent made threats against the school.

The incident sparked a discussion in Gainesville about bullying at the school, and our education reporter, Kelsey Podo, started digging into the issue.

After conversations with parents, teachers and administrators — and a dive into the data tracked about fights and bullying at the school — The Times discovered that in 2019 there were 167 recorded incidents of fighting at the school.

Some teachers say that number is low, as they feel pressured to not record every incident. 

But administrators say they’re working to take the pressure off at the school, which is about 500 students over capacity. And parents who spoke with The Times said they feel confident in sending their kids to Gainesville Middle.