WHITEWATER, Wis. — A dispute over the school resource officer program in Whitewater is boiling with school district leaders and city officials at odds.
"There has got to be a middle ground somewhere, so they just got to figure it out," parent Robin Kowalski told TMJ4.
Kowalski felt compelled to speak up about the concerns her teenage son and his friends shared with her over changes to the school resource officer (SRO) program at Whitewater Unified School District.
"He’s not in school today because he’s upset about it, but he’s going back tomorrow," Kowalsi stated.
Kowalski explained that her son struggles with anxiety and feels more secure with the current SRO.
On Wednesday, the outgoing school superintendent Caroline Pate-Hefty and Whitewater's city manager released separate statements clashing over the SRO situation. It came after the school board voted to approve initiating the bidding process for their SRO program.
This goes back to early April when the superintendent notified the police chief that the board would end the current arrangement citing disputed responsibilities.
WATCH: Parent frustrated over Whitewater school, city leaders dispute surrounding the SRO program
The city pushed back on the district's statements that the police department failed to provide coverage on 27 days and follow board policy related to contacting parents during an investigations, saying they lacked important context and describing them as "misleading."
The school superintendent responded calling the city's claims "false" and going so far as to say their "students' and parents' rights have been repeatedly violated."
Kowalski said she feels families were left out of the conversation. She wants Whitewater Police to stay in the school.
"My son feels more safe there with the officer in the building," Kowalski added.
TMJ4 pressed the school district and city for an interview ,but only received written statements and documents.
Kowalski plans to attend next week's Common Council meeting when the issue will be brought up for discussion.
"We do need to hear both sides of the whole story because there’s always their version, this version and somewhere in the middle is the truth and the facts," Kowalski said.
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