A month after a Wiscasset Middle High School senior allegedly committed aggravated assault against Ashley James' eighth grader, the Wiscasset mother is urging school committee members to look hard at the committee's code of ethics and ask if they have lived up to it.

She emailed committee members Sunday morning, June 21. The email included a link to her three-week-old petition at change.org, that reads in part: "The superintendent has not only failed in her duty to create a secure environment but also in addressing the aftermath of this traumatic event. We, as a community, demand an immediate investigation into the superintendent’s handling of this incident and the overall safety policies within the Wiscasset School. Our children deserve a safe learning environment, and it begins with accountability and change at the top. Please sign this petition to urge the necessary authorities to act swiftly and ensure that no other family has to endure what we are going through."

As of Sunday morning's email to the committee, the petition had 456 names on it, including Wiscasset residents and people in other towns and states. According to change.org, 62% of the petition's supporters were linked to the zip codes that serve Wiscasset, Bath, Brunswick, Arrowsic and West Bath. Some names were just a first name and an initial.

Jonathan Barnes put his first and last names on it. Barnes, vice chair of Wiscasset's school committee, argued June 9 for hiring an independent investigator regarding the May 19 incident in the WMHS gym. Barnes has raised WMHS safety issues for years. He signed the petition as a parent, he explained in response to a question Sunday. Wiscasset Newspaper also asked what, if anything, he anticipates the committee will do with Sunday's correspondence from James.

"I've talked extensively with the James family. The (school) board was given the same information as their family. As vice chair, I do not see the board doing anything. I motioned to have an independent investigation, which failed to pass," Barnes recounted. As Wiscasset Newspaper has reported, Barnes and Brycson Grover, in his last scheduled meeting as a member, voted for the outside probe. Chair Tracey Whitney and members Christopher Hart and Doug Merrill abstained.

Asked Sunday why she chose a web petition, James said, "If I had stood outside collecting signatures on paper, I never would have reached the number of people this petition reached. The online format allowed people to participate regardless of their schedule, location, or comfort level speaking publicly. I wanted the board to see how many people are concerned with the handling of this situation!"

Her email to the committee refers to the code of ethics approved in 2025 and available at wiscassetschools.org. James noted the code says to think of children and "'make decisions openly after all facts bearing on a question have been presented and discussed.' I encourage each of you to read those words again."

Wiscasset Newspaper has sought comment from Whitney, Hart and Merrill on James' June 21 email and the web petition.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kim Andersson fielded fresh questions from Wiscasset Newspaper on James' criticisms of her in the petition. Andersson's response included her sharing her June 3 email to the school committee about last month's incident. Andersson said she also gave the James family the document. 

It reads in part: "The following is my determination of the sequence of events surrounding the reported incident. I was not present at WMHS that afternoon and needed to interview staff who were in the building, as well as review video recordings from the building’s security system. I also reviewed other relevant documents as part of my investigation.

"Based on what the building principal has previously told the School Committee and me, my understanding is there are limited interactions between middle school and high school students during a typical school day (only between 7:30 and 7:45). The expectation is that they should not otherwise be in the same area of the building, including the gym. Also, I have previously communicated to all staff at WMHS the expectation that the gym doors are to be locked during the school day when PE classes are not in session. Students are not allowed to leave or enter the building without checking in with the principal’s office. The exterior doors of the building are also expected to be locked, and I have previously communicated this to the principal.

"On Tuesday, May 19th, the PE Teacher left school around 10:35 a.m. for an absence that had been pre-approved by the principal. The main office administrative assistant had secured a substitute for most periods that day but was unable to find substitute coverage for the last period (8th grade PE class), which was from 1:10 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. The school secretary reported to me that at approximately 12 p.m. she went into the principal’s office and told the principal there was no substitute for 8th grade PE that afternoon. The secretary told the principal that an ed tech who often covered classes was unavailable and that staff from our community partner organization, Hearty Roots, who do a lot of work with our middle school students, were not available. The school secretary told me that the principal did not really say anything in response but acknowledged what the secretary had said. At 12:35 the secretary went to lunch and told me that she understood that the principal was going to find a substitute for the class. Another employee, who often works in the main office most days as a substitute Attendance Secretary, was also in the office. They said that when the secretary was leaving for lunch, they said: 'there’s no one in the gym but I told the principal and she is going to take care of it.' The Attendance Secretary substitute told me they thought that meant the principal was going to cover or find coverage for the PE class.

"At 12:51 p.m., three high school students entered the unlocked gym, unaccompanied by any adults, and began to play basketball. There was no supervision in the gym. At (1:03) the 8th graders started arriving for their PE class. At (1:05) a high school student (Student 1) left the gym via the back door, which was unlocked. The other two high school students also left the gym via the rear door. Student 1 returned at (1:09) and exited out the front gym doors and out of the building without signing out in the main office at (1:10). Student 1 then stayed in the parking lot near their car talking to another student who was in their truck until (1:18) at which time both students left campus in their own vehicles.

"Meanwhile, inside the building, the substitute Attendance Secretary discovered there was no one supervising the 8th graders in the gym (at 1:17). This employee can be seen (on gym cameras) walking in the gym, and talking to a high school student, who serves as a Teacher’s Assistant in this PE class. According to the PE teacher, there are two high school students in good standing who have study halls at that time and are allowed to help with 8th grade PE. I was told they often help the 8th grade students participate in class.

"The substitute Attendance Secretary returned to their desk in the office and sent an email to all staff asking for immediate supervision help in the gym. An Ed Tech then entered the office from outside the building to sign in from their break and was upset – they told the substitute Attendance Secretary: ”there’s no one in the gym with the kids.” The Ed Tech then reported this to the assistant principal, whose office is down the hall. The Ed Tech told me they returned to their classroom and planned to go back and provide coverage in the gym but then saw an email at (1:21) saying that someone was covering the gym. I asked the substitute Attendance Secretary if they tried to find the principal and they said they did not think the principal was in their office but was distracted by frantically trying to find coverage.

"At (1:18), the assistant principal entered the gym to supervise the class. At (1:22), another employee entered the gym and stood near the stage. At this time, there were three high school students in the gym. At (1:24) Student 1 returned to the school property, parked their car, and was let in the building through the front doors by an Ed Tech who was standing in the front hallway. Student 1 walked in and entered the gym without signing in with the main office.

"At (1:25) another employee passed through the gym. Student 1 spoke to the three other high school students and all four of them were standing near one of the two employees supervising the gym. At (1:29) that employee followed three middle school girls into the hallway and told them to return to class. Student 1 followed that employee out into the hall and back into the gym. During this minute, they encountered another employee. At (1:31), the assistant principal exited the gym and walked past Student 1. When asked if they were aware of high school students in the gym, the assistant principal said they did not notice because they were focused on preparing for afternoon baseball games.

 "At (1:35) another employee entered the gym through the rear door, spoke to some students sitting on the stage, and then crossed the gym, exiting through the front door. They stopped to talk briefly with the other employee who was supervising the class. The two employees were standing directly behind three high school students who were now watching three middle school boys, including Student 2, playing basketball with a high schooler who is one of the teaching assistants for PE.

 "Another High school student entered the gym at (1:37) crossed the floor and exited through the front door. At this time, the principal was in the hallway immediately outside the gym doors and stood there talking to a custodian (from 1:35 to 1:42). During this time, a high school student exited the gym and walked past the principal and the custodian. At (1:40) another middle school student passed the principal and the custodian and entered the gym. The substitute Attendance Secretary reentered the gym at (1:37), greeted a high school student with a hug, and then exited the gym at (1:38).

"At (1:38) two high school students, including Student 1, joined the basketball game, making the game three 8th graders playing against three high schoolers. At (1:42) Two Hearty Roots staffers entered the gym with five middle school students. They talked to the employee covering the class and left. The assistant principal reentered the gym at (1:43) with a cooler to get ice for the baseball games. The principal entered the rest room at (1:42) and exited at (1:44) and then entered their office and exited at (1:45). They then went upstairs and into a classroom where they remained until (2:20).

"At (1:50) Student 1 grabbed Student 2 around the neck and pushed them up against the mat and then threw them to the side at (1:50:08). The employee supervising the class went over, told Student 1 to leave, and Student 1 turned and postured for 11 paces. The supervising employee went to the front door and asked for help from the main office. Student 1 then turned and exited the gym at (1:50:36) via the front door and went to the nurse’s office.

"The supervising employee walked towards the bleachers and Student 2 walked towards the front doors. At (1:50:50) the supervising employee turned and walked to Student 2 and talked to them near the front doors. At (1:51:35) the school secretary came to the front doors and then left followed by the supervising employee and Student 2 at (1:51:47). Student 2 goes to the assistant principal’s office and Student 2’s father was called and informed of what happened. At (1:52:33) an Ed Tech entered the gym to take over supervision of the class. The other employee went to their office at (1:53). At (2:00) Student 2 returned to the gym and finished the school day.

"The assistant principal went to the nurse’s office at (2:01) and escorted Student 1 to his office. The assistant principal stopped back at the gym to check on coverage and returned to their office (where Student 1 was waiting) at (2:02). The assistant principal then spoke to Student 1, who left the building at (2:19).

"In total, thirteen adults were in or near the gym at some point during the 8th grade PE class: At the time of the altercation, there was 1 adult in the gym."

Andersson told Wiscasset Newspaper "several building management procedures" were not followed May 19. "All classroom doors, including the gym doors, are to be locked during the school day. Students are not allowed to leave or enter the building without checking in with the main office and only the office should buzz people into the building through the main doors. Finally, students may not be unsupervised in any classrooms. These basic, standard safety protocols were not followed on May 19."

Andersson said she can't comment on "personnel issues that occurred that day, however, I can share next steps we are taking." As Wiscasset Newspaper has reported and Andersson recounted, the school committee June 9 nodded a "Two Schools Beneath One Roof Committee" to examine issues with times middle and high schoolers are in the same space, and to make a recommendation to the school committee.

Also as Wiscasset Newspaper has reported and Andersson recounted Monday, she has contacted Maine Department of Education about getting a safety audit of WMHS and Wiscasset Elementary School.

Class of 2026 member D'Antae Dawkins, 18, was charged last month with aggravated assault in connection with the May 19 incident.