Sheyenne High School security guard accused of inappropriate conversations with students

WEST FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A security guard at Sheyenne High School was removed from campus after allegations of inappropriate conversations with female students.

In a note sent to staff, families and students on Thursday morning, Sheyenne High School Principal Ryan Salisbury says administration received a text-a-tip from a student with concerning allegations. After a preliminary investigation prior to the start of the school day, the security guard was removed from campus and his employer was notified. The security guard was privately contracted through ASP of Moorhead Inc. After reaching out to ASP, they declined to comment.

The school district says the initial allegations are about inappropriate conversations between the security guard and female students via electronic platforms.

“To help us expedite the investigation, we are asking anyone with information about inappropriate communications or interactions between students and the security guard to please report that information to Principal Salisbury or another trusted adult,” the notice said.

Principal Salisbury says, until the investigation can be completed, Sheyenne High School will not be contracting with ASP of Moorhead for another security guard. Instead, they will partner with the West Fargo Police Department to have a School Resource Officer on site.

West Fargo Public Schools has a communication policy for staff-student relations. Those boundaries in place state, ‘Engaging in conversations with a student when the student is sharing information that does not benefit the student crosses ethical boundaries.’ It also states, ‘Engaging in friendships with students through the use of email, texting or social media should be avoided.’

This is the second time since Jan. 24, where a person associated with the school districts in the Fargo-Moorhead area were accused of inappropriate conversations with students. Fargo Public Schools fired Fabrice Nolen, a Fargo South High School football and basketball coach, on Jan. 24 for ‘inappropriate communications with students via social media platforms.’.

Jenna Hershberger, an EAP therapist with ‘The Village’, said that it is important for parents to talk to their children. A child involved in these types of conversations might not be able to understand that it’s not appropriate and that it’s not their fault.

”Often it looks like blaming themselves for what’s going on instead of recognizing that this adult is not acting appropriately with me. That’s a lot of work that I end up doing with kiddos is trying to kind of decipher what’s really going on here.” said Hershberger. ”Kids are heart people. They’re not head people, they’re still developing all of that so they need adults to be able to process what they’re experiences are, process their emotions, know what their emotions are and know how to respond to them.”

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