PARMA, Ohio -- Administrators are still investigating last week's bullying incident involving a student with developmental disabilities at Parma Senior High School, according to the school district's superintendent.
Five Parma Senior High School students and a substitute teacher are accused in connection with a bullying incident involving a student with a developmental disability that occurred Friday Feb. 28.
Superintendent Jeff Graham said Friday that he could not comment on the incident because it remains under investigation. He also said he could not comment on any discipline the students involved in the incident could be facing.
However, Graham said the district takes incidents of bullying very seriously.
"This is something that we've been taking seriously for a very long time," he said.
Parma police are also continuing to investigate the incident. The department said Thursday that, in addition to charges already filed against the students and substitute, more charges could be filed once a prosecutor reviews the case.
Two boys and one girl were cited for assault in connection with the incident, while two other boys were cited for disorderly conduct.
Substitute teacher Gregg Mellinger, 49, of North Ridgeville was also cited for endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor, in connection with the incident. He is accused of witnessing the incident but not intervening to stop it, according to a police report.
The Renhill Group, a staffing agency with offices in Perrysburg and Independence, provided the district with the substitute. The group said Friday that Mellinger has been placed on unpaid leave pending the results of the investigation.
"We're deeply troubled by the allegations; the safety of the students of Ohio is our top priority," Renhill risk manager Tami Stansley said Friday.
Stansley said each of her company's substitute teachers is subject to Ohio Department of Education hiring requirements, including a background check, as well as any specific requirements a client might have.
She also said Renhill's substitutes receive extensive training, and that the company has an anti-bullying policy it distributes to new hires.
Several of Parma's schools have programs in place to curb bullying, according to the district. Additionally, the district has a hotline that allows people to report incidents of bullying anonymously via phone or email. The district's website also includes links to information about bullying.
Lorie Roan, the president of the Parma Council of PTAs, said in an email Thursday that she was "saddened and disgusted" by the incident, and that she hopes the five students and substitute teacher are held accountable and punished.
She also said most of Parma's PTA units have bullying programs; for example, Normandy High School's Rachel's Challenge program helps students and adults combat bullying.
"Although it is quite obvious from this horrible incident that more education and awareness needs to be done," she said in the email.
Parma school board president Sean Nicklos said in an email that the board is declining comment at this time; he directed questions about the incident to Graham.