District leaders say they’re working with the family on a plan; police did not immediately comment.
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — A Sheboygan family says their sixth grader at Urban Middle School was stabbed with a pencil on Tuesday, the second such injury since September. They are asking the Sheboygan Area School District for a formal safety plan that lays out protections and responses in the classroom.
The family, Trisha and Eric Toebe, said the repeated injuries have tested trust between parents and school leaders. The district, led by Superintendent Dr. Jacob Konrath, said it is in contact with the family and is working to create and implement a plan to help the student feel safe at school. Police were contacted after the latest incident, the parents said, but they were referred to the campus school resource officer. The department did not provide an immediate response to questions Thursday, leaving open whether any criminal investigation is underway.
In interviews, the Toebes identified their son as Fox Toebe and said he has autism and ADHD. They said the first stabbing happened on the first day of sixth grade during band class, leaving a scar on his arm. On Tuesday, they said a different student stabbed Fox in the ribs with a pencil during class time. The parents shared photos of a puncture wound edged with bruising. “We’re scared for our child’s safety,” Eric Toebe said. “We just want a plan.” Trisha Toebe added, “If we don’t talk about this, what happens next?”
Confidentiality rules limit what schools can say about discipline, and the Toebes said that has compounded their uncertainty. “There’s confidentiality, so they can’t tell us what the policy or procedure is — what the punishment is,” Eric Toebe said. The district said it takes all reports seriously and maintains supports and resources for student safety but did not disclose any disciplinary outcomes, citing privacy laws. Urban Middle School has a school resource officer assigned to the campus, and the family said city police referred them back to that officer after they called.
Urban Middle serves grades six through eight and sits in a residential area on Sheboygan’s north side. The district has highlighted safety and student support in recent years as it adjusts to leadership changes and campus updates. Parents outside school on Thursday said they want clearer messaging when incidents occur, even if names remain private. One parent described seeing more adults positioned in hallways during passing periods since the start of the year, though the school did not publicly link any staffing changes to specific incidents. The Toebes said there have been multiple bullying episodes since September, with the two pencil stabbings being the most serious injuries.
The district said it is working with the family now on a written plan, a document that could include supervised transitions, seating changes, staff check-ins, and protocols if another incident happens. As of Thursday night, no charges had been announced. The police department had not released an update about whether officers would take further steps beyond the work of the school resource officer. The district did not set a timeline for when it would finalize the plan, but said student safety remains a main priority.
Neighbors and parents described a mix of sympathy and concern. “Kids make mistakes, but this can’t keep happening,” said a parent who asked not to be named to protect a child’s privacy. A nearby resident said they noticed police near dismissal on recent afternoons, though it was not clear whether those visits were related. The Toebes said community attention is important. “The community needs to know that it’s not okay,” Trisha Toebe said. “If we want it to be better, we have to work together.”
As of Friday, the school and family remained in contact, according to district leaders. The next expected step is a meeting to finalize the student’s safety plan and review day-to-day supervision on campus.
Author note: Last updated November 21, 2025.