ADEL, Iowa (WHO) — Concerned parents and students packed the Adel DeSoto Minburn school board meeting Monday night, wanting to know how board members are going to address what they say is an increase in bullying.

Parents, students, and community members fear that their kids may be the next victim of bullying, as their worry comes following the death investigation of a 14-year-old boy that police say died by suicide.

Parents and students said he was a freshman at the school and was a victim of bullying, and people have had enough.

“Bullying is a huge issue, I experienced it myself last semester. I was being threatened to be jumped, I was receiving text and calls from random numbers while I was at work, home with friends, anywhere, it just wouldn’t stop,” said Devin Baker, a sophomore at ADM High School.

During the meeting, former and current ADM students stepped forward, saying that while at school they were repeatedly told by other students to kill themselves.

Parents shared their kids’ experiences with bullying, saying that they constantly reached out to school administrators and the school board, but nothing changed.

Those in attendance Monday night had a clear message that this issue has to be addressed to ensure that no more lives are lost because of bullying and that children feel safe at school.

“We’re coming to you, not because we’re blaming you, but the change starts with you. We as parents need you to jump on board and start making the changes because you’re the board. You are the board and the change has to start with you,” said Michele Deardorff, a parent of three students within the ADM Community School District.

We reached out to the Adel Superintendent to discuss these issues, he said he was waiting to speak until after the school board meeting to hear what the community had to say first.