The vice president of the Board of Education of Harford County on Monday night called for Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Sean Bulson to resign following a fatal shooting in a bathroom at Joppatowne High School.

Speaking at the board’s first meeting since the shooting, Melissa Hahn said students at Joppatowne High School frequently carried backpacks throughout the day, roamed the hallways and were disrespectful to teachers.

“Students were allowed to do what they wanted. Students ruled the school and they knew it,” Hahn said during board member comments at the meeting, which was held both in-person and online. Bulson was attending virtually due to being ill with COVID-19, board officials said. .

Last week, Joppatowne High School announced a ban on backpacks until the school ordered enough lockers for all students. Hahn pointed out that the capacity of the school is 1,056.

At the start of the meeting, Bulson said students carried backpacks around the school because of a locker shortage caused by an increased student population. However, Hahn cited the Harford school’s website as showing a student population of around 900 and questioned the reason for a locker shortage.

She accused Bulson of failing to take action on the security and safety concerns that Hahn said she believed he was aware of in advance of the shooting.

“A child has died and this is directly due to the negligence on the part of Dr. Bulson,” Hahn said. “Dr. Bulson failed to enforce discipline policies and procedures while knowing of their existence … and it is for that reason and many other reasons that I request that Dr. Bulson immediately resign as superintendent.”

Dozens of meeting attendees — many of whom wore Moms for Liberty and NAACP shirts — appeared stunned by Hahn’s remarks. A few Moms For Liberty members nodded in agreement and some even raised a hand in support.

Earlier in the meeting Bulson had provided a “special update” outlining what the school system has done in terms of school safety leading up to the shooting, what the school system has done since and what he plans to address moving forward. He cited outdated walkie-talkies used by Joppatowne High School staff, a shortage of lockers and an ineffective announcement system. Many of the security upgrades needed, he said, are handled through annual funding requests to the county.

During public comment, 27 speakers provided commentary. The majority of speakers talked about the Joppatowne shooting and criticized Bulson and the school board for their handling of the shooting with a handful also demanding Bulson’s resignation.

The request from Hahn and backlash from community members follows the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Warren Curtis Grant, who was shot in the chest during a fight in a bathroom at Joppatowne High earlier this month.

The suspect, 16-year-old Jaylen Prince, is being charged as an adult in Grant’s death and is charged with first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, use of a firearm and other charges. A Harford County Circuit Court Judge ordered that Prince remain held without bond.

Following the shooting, county officials dialed in on school safety with representatives such as Councilman Aaron Penman and Dion Guthrie stating they are open to conversations about measures like metal detectors in schools.

“The most important security measure is the eyes and ears we have in our buildings,” Bulson said at Monday’s meeting. “I’d like to see our district invest more in the security personnel we have and make that a more robust presence.”

Last week, Harford school officials announced that students at Joppatowne High are prohibited from carrying backpacks large enough to store books and laptops during the school day.

The school’s principal, Melissa Williams, said in a video message Wednesday that the school has ordered new lockers to ensure all students have one. She said that after the new lockers are installed, students must use them to store bigger bags. Those who do not adhere to the new guidelines will be subject to searches and disciplinary actions.