Duluth Public Schools respond to questions on 2023 Denfeld sexual assault Case

District says 'none of our school elevators have cameras' cites 'high cost' and prioritization of 'other critical safety and instructional needs'

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Public Schools says “none of our school elevators have cameras installed” in a response to charges filed against a former student for a 2023 sexual assault inside of an elevator at Denfeld High School.

A representative for Duluth Public Schools, ISD 709, released a statement on Friday, following FOX 21’s reporting of charges filed for a 2023 sexual assault at Denfeld High School. Charges allege that Cameron Joseph Williams, 20, was an 18-year-old Denfeld student when, in March of 2023, he assaulted a then 15-year-old student in a school elevator.

In an emailed statement, Duluth Public School’s Communications Officer Adelle Wellens said:

Duluth Public Schools is aware of the recent charges related to an incident that occurred in 2023 involving individuals connected to Denfeld High School.

Due to student privacy laws, we are prohibited from commenting on specific student situations.

We want to emphasize that Duluth Public Schools and Denfeld High School have fully cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation and will continue to do so. The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority, and we take all reports of misconduct seriously.

At this time, we will not be providing further comment.

Security cameras allegedly showed the victim and Williams walking together in the hallways in the minutes leading up to the 2023 incident, according to the criminal complaint. The footage showed the two walk into one of the school’s elevators, where the victim said most of the incident took place. No security footage from inside the elevator is documented in the complaint.

Today, FOX 21 asked Duluth Public Schools if security cameras exist inside the elevators, but according to Wellens, “None of our school elevators have cameras installed inside them.” Wellens added, “Due to longstanding budget limitations, the high cost of installation, and rising infrastructure costs, our district has prioritized other critical safety and instructional needs.”

The district said it’s committed to safety and to evaluating potential security upgrades that are “within the limits of available resources.”

Wellens said, “Three technology referendums have been presented to voters” since 2018, but none have passed. She claimed that the referendums would have provided additional funds to help address budget limitations.