Staff Reports
The Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office recently announced it will not file felony charges in the stabbing at Billings Senior High and has handed the file to the Billings City Attorney for an independent review. That decision has left teachers, parents, and community leaders angry and confused. The new development is simple: county prosecutors declined felony charges and now the city attorney will decide whether any lesser charges or municipal actions are appropriate.
County declines felony charges — what that means
Acting Yellowstone County Attorney Arielle Dean said prosecutors reviewed the Billings Police investigation “carefully” and chose not to pursue felony charges. In plain English: after months of looking at the case, the county decided not to go after the kind of serious criminal count most people expected. The case has been transferred to Billings City Attorney Gina Dahl, who says her office will do an independent review and make a thoughtful determination. For those worried about teacher safety, that answer sounds thin and unsatisfying.
City attorney review and the school district’s response
Billings City Attorney Gina Dahl now has the file and can recommend misdemeanor or municipal charges, or decline to prosecute. Billings Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia said the district is frustrated and will pursue its own internal review while trying to get access to the investigative records. The teacher, named in union statements as Jason Rader, remains on paid administrative leave while the legal and school reviews continue. Meanwhile, the student involved has completed graduation requirements and is no longer enrolled — another fact that leaves the community wondering how accountability will play out.
Community safety, transparency, and the politics of silence
People are right to be upset. There have been rallies and public meetings demanding answers and stronger school safety measures. Prosecutors cite privacy and investigative limits, but months-long silence followed by a non-felony decision looks like a default to inaction. If the message from the courthouse is that violent acts in our schools won’t be treated as felonies, expect teachers to feel less safe and parents to lose faith in the system that is supposed to protect their kids.
This move — county prosecutors declining felony charges and passing the file to the city attorney — is the new, central development. It deserves scrutiny, not platitudes. Billings officials must show the public what evidence they relied on, explain why felony charges were rejected, and outline the next steps to keep students and staff safe. If not, the only thing longer than the prosecutors’ “thorough review” will be the list of unanswered questions from a community that did not sign up for fear in its classrooms.
