A family in the Eddyville Blakesburg Fremont (EBF) community is demanding answers after a freshman was reportedly threatened with being shot at her archery practice—an incident her parents say the school acknowledges but refuses to fully address.
Brooklyn, a freshman at EBF, has struggled with bullying for years.
After repeated issues and a growing toll on her mental health, her mother, Jen Christopher, withdrew her from school and began homeschooling her.
Although the change has allowed Brooklyn to heal, it has also caused her to pull back socially.
To help rebuild her confidence, Christopher encouraged her to join extracurricular activities, including basketball and archery.
But instead of finding support through sports, Brooklyn became the target of a shocking threat.
According to Christopher, several students were overheard discussing archery earlier in the school day.
During that conversation, one student allegedly made a violent threat—naming Brooklyn, identifying her practice location, and saying they would “go there to shoot her.”
The comment was not considered a joke by those who heard it, and they reported it to the archery coaches and the school’s athletic director.
Christopher visited the school the next morning to demand action. Later that day, she was told the student admitted to making the comment.
However, school officials informed her that they “could not disclose” the identity of the offender or any disciplinary measures due to policy and confidentiality laws.
The EBF archery board later imposed a two-tournament suspension on the student, but the school still refused to reveal who made the threat.
Christopher said this lack of transparency leaves her family feeling unsafe and ignored.
“We absolutely deserve to know who threatened my daughter,” she wrote in a public post asking the community for support.
“The school knows who said it, but they are protecting the offender instead of protecting my child.”
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Community members responding to her post echoed her frustration, many of whom shared their own experiences with bullying at EBF and other schools.
Some expressed concern that a threat involving a weapon—especially in an archery program—should be treated as a serious safety matter rather than a matter of internal discipline.
Christopher insists she will not stay silent. She has called for greater accountability from school officials and stronger protections for students facing harassment or threats of violence.
“I refuse to sit back while my daughter and others are bullied,” she said.
“Students deserve to feel safe at all school activities, and parents deserve answers when their child is threatened.”
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Multiple commenters urged her to contact the superintendent, school board, or law enforcement, arguing that a threat involving a firearm or weapon merits an official investigation.
Others shared similar stories in which they felt schools protected bullies rather than victims.
Brooklyn has received an outpouring of support from parents, former students, and community members.
Many have encouraged her to keep pursuing archery and sports, reminding her that she deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported.
One commenter, a former archery competitor, offered to practice with Brooklyn personally, writing that archery “should not be ruined for a beautiful young girl.”
For Christopher, the goal now is not only protecting her daughter but sparking change so other students do not endure similar experiences.
“It’s time to speak up,” she wrote. “No child should face bullying or threats in silence.”
