On Sept. 17, 2025, Lakeside High School teacher Jerry Meitin was arrested and charged with terroristic threats after a warrant alleged he told students, “If I had a gun, you all would be dead.”
The Columbia County School District confirmed that a teacher was placed on paid administrative leave, with the district later recommending his termination.
Even though the district released a letter notifying parents that a teacher had been disciplined, some parents say there was not enough transparency about what had happened.
One Lakeside High School parent, who wishes to remain anonymous to protect her child’s privacy, said parents first received a general message from the school stating that a teacher was in trouble and that an investigation was underway. However, the message did not specify who the teacher was or what had occurred.
“We found out on the news,” she said. “We were actually never told that it was our child’s teacher.”
The parent said the lack of communication caused confusion and frustration for both students and families.
“Our child’s teacher suddenly disappears, and the next day there are counselors in class answering questions but not allowed to talk about it,” she said. “My son got in the car that afternoon and asked, ‘Am I allowed to be upset about this?’”
She added that her son’s class went two weeks without a permanent teacher, disrupting instruction in a high-level math course.
“This is an IB (International Baccalaureate) class, so missing two weeks of instruction is significant,” she said. “He’s lucky that both of his parents can help him with math, but many other students don’t have that advantage.”
A former teacher and administrator herself, the parent said she understands there are limits to what schools can share during active investigations but believes families deserve more transparency in such situations.
“Just be honest,” she said. “Even if you can’t give details, tell parents that their child’s teacher is involved, that there’s a substitute in place, and that the district is working on a solution.”
In a statement, the Columbia County School District said there is no specific policy outlining how or when parents are notified in personnel matters such as suspensions or terminations.
“By law, we cannot discuss personnel matters that are under investigation,” the district said. “Safety is always a top priority, and in an effort to keep parents informed, notifications of investigations are released as quickly as possible, oftentimes while investigations are still ongoing. This can limit the information that is available to be released. Parents and students who are impacted by a teacher change are notified directly, regardless of the reason for the change.”
The district added that it will continue notifying parents and students who are directly affected by staff changes regardless of the reason.
The parent said she hopes the schools strengthens communication protocols to better inform families in similar incidents.
“Being more open and honest shows that you actually care,” she said. “Trying to make it not such a big deal when it is a big deal just makes it worse.”
