A committee meeting was called by the North Penn School District to discuss the fallout from a violent incident at Pennbrook Middle School that left a student hospitalized.
School administrators discussed the disciplinary measures against the attacker student during a virtual Safe Schools meeting on Monday night.
Superintendent Todd Bauer underlined the limitations imposed by national and state regulations, which restrict the information that may be shared about student sanctions. He emphasized that the school board might hear concerns regarding student discipline, thus it is crucial to protect due process for all children.
A major area of dispute that came up at the conference was the difference between the attack’s stated duration and the amount of time students were told to stay still. Concerns were expressed by several parents over the differences between the timetables that pupils reported and those that school authorities supplied.
Bauer made it clear that personnel and security stopped the attack in less than six seconds. To protect students, a hold mechanism that lasted for almost eight minutes was put in place.
For kids in the cafeteria, this hold lasted for approximately twenty-eight minutes. Because the first call to release the hold was not answered, more time was needed for staff and emergency personnel to evacuate the children.
In response to criticism from parents regarding the first letter issued following the incident, Bauer admitted that the letter’s structure and substance were flawed. He clarified that the letter—which was signed by the Pennbrook principal—was a template meant to be used quickly to share information after an incident.
Bauer acknowledged the criticism but gave the assurance that the district would examine and adjust its policies and processes to give families more thorough and timely updates going forward.
In addition, the school authorities declared that they would be hiring a third party to conduct an inquiry into the occurrence; a ruling is anticipated within the next week. Examining the incident’s circumstances, the district’s response, and potential opportunities for development are the goals of this study.
Bauer also outlined the district’s recent improvements, which include tighter security, more cops on the streets, and support for Safe2Say and other reporting systems.
On May 14th at North Penn High School, there will be a community forum to interact with the community and directly address concerns. Presentations on school safety will be given at the event, and then there will be a Q&A period.