Parents and former students at Harrison School looked on from their seats at the Madison County Courthouse as their former Superintendent changed her plea in the case of obstructing a peace officer at the school last spring.
The former students attending the hearing said they were disappointed by the former superintendent’s actions and the impact it has had on their education.
A mother present says she witnessed law enforcement, including an officer from the Montana Department of Investigation, crawl through a window at the school during an attempt to interview students because the doors were locked.
“I’d say that sophomore year at Harrison, it was just really disorganized. Things were really disorganized and there was just no accountability from our leaders in that school,” says Culter Edmundson.
Edmundson grew up in the school district and was looking forward to graduating as a Wildcat, just like his father.
At the beginning of 2024 he was part of the Wildcat basketball team that made it to state for the first time in the school’s history. The town threw a huge parade. Everyone drove their tractors and purple flags lined the state highway that runs in front of the school.
Soon after, Edmundson says that the school changed. A parent who spoke out about the incident involving Allen’s run-in with the law claimed that a new teacher who was hired without a background check was making threats against administrators and engaging in other inappropriate behavior.
WATCH PREVIOUS: Parent of Harrison school students speaks out in wake of controversy
In front of a justice of the peace on Nov. 26, Sheryll Allen pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a peace officer during a criminal investigation in April 2024. Allen is accused of not allowing police officers to question students who were believed to be victims of a crime.
“I think I’m just glad that this is coming to light because it really did have a big impact and changed a lot of students' lives, so I think it’s important that the students are getting recognized, and that the community, that this did happen and that it did have an impact on us,” says Briannah Ohs.
Culter Edmundson and Briannah Ohs, who also has family roots with Harrison School, say the incident impacted their education and they decided to switch high schools as a result.
“I just say you know, tell the truth, you know? Don’t be a liar. You know, all you have is your good name, you know? I mean that’s really important. To have a good name you gotta tell the truth,” says Edmundson.
Sharyl Allen’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 30 in Virginia City. She remains free on special conditions.
“While it’s a small piece of justice, I think there is more to be done. I would love to have seen her admit a guilty plea instead of no contest. I think that’s the first part in her ownership of the havoc that has been wreaked in our community but I know that there’s a sentencing coming in January and whatever that may be, the courts get to decide it,” says Heather Ohs, the mother of Briannah.
