A recent incident at Reaney Park Pool in Pullman, Washington, has sparked a broader community conversation about teenage behavior and parental responsibility.
According to a social media post by local resident Mary Worley, a group of middle school-aged boys was removed from the pool facility after their conduct was deemed inappropriate and disrespectful.
Worley spoke at a community forum to address the parents of the teenagers involved, stating that the boys’ behavior was unacceptable and that they needed guidance on how to conduct themselves in public spaces.
She indicated that her son had witnessed the incident firsthand and could provide details about what transpired that led to their removal from the pool.
The incident prompted swift action from pool management and lifeguards, who made the decision to remove the group from the premises.
Multiple community members praised the staff for their handling of the situation. One commenter, William Bennett IV, revealed that he personally intervened by approaching a lifeguard to request the removal of the boys before the situation escalated further.
He noted that the teenagers had been targeting not just other swimmers but also children with special needs.
Community Dialogue Reveals Broader Concerns
The online discussion that followed the incident revealed deeper concerns within the Pullman community about youth behavior and societal standards. Scott McBeath, a local business owner, responded supportively to Worley’s post, saying,
“Great job Mary this is why we moved to a small town. Everyone is watching out for everyone.”
However, the conversation also exposed differing perspectives on how community members should address such situations.
Kris Peterson questioned whether airing the incident details on a public forum was appropriate, suggesting that Worley examine her motives.
This prompted a response from Olive Elise Peterson-Pope, who countered that if teenagers do not want their behavior discussed publicly, they should change their behavior.
The incident is also connected to broader complaints about youth conduct in Pullman. Several residents mentioned concerns about aggressive e-bike riders on sidewalks and general disrespect among younger residents.
Marie Glynn, a 72-year-old resident, shared that she had twice been bullied off the sidewalk by a child on an e-bike near the high school area.
Lacee Kadinger, a sixth-grade teacher, contributed to the discussion by reflecting on the state of youth behavior in schools. She emphasized that society has lost sight of the principle that it takes a community to raise a child.
Part of the reason society has gotten this gross is that we have forgotten that it takes a Community to raise a child. When an adult says something to teens/pre-teens misbehaving in public we should be supported by the parents. The problem is this isn’t the case. The parents will tell you to mind your own business or try to justify why it is ok for their child to do what they do. They will say things like “it’s not their fault because they have…” (fill in the blank with whatever disability you can imagine.) We need to believe the adult in a situation over a pre-teen/teenager. **for context, I have a son on the autism spectrum and diagnosed with ADHD and I expected him to be kind and appropriate and if he couldn’t do that, then he would face consequences just like any other child.
Dianne Schutz-Webber agreed with this sentiment, noting that when she was younger, adults enforced proper behavior and children respected those boundaries.
The pool incident appears to have resonated with many parents in the community.
Angie Nason commented that she would want to be informed if her own child were behaving inappropriately in public spaces, regardless of where it occurred.
Don Crouser same here!! I would want to know if this was my kid. Public or not.
While some commenters suggested consequences such as requiring the boys to perform community service or clean the pool to earn back their access privileges, the incident has largely been viewed as an opportunity for the community to reflect on expectations for youth behavior and parental involvement in ensuring their children conduct themselves appropriately in shared public spaces.
