Officials from North Penn School District and the Hatfield Township Police Department have issued statements following the publishing of an online petition that questions their handling of a middle school student who allegedly made terrorist threats against Pennfield Middle School on multiple occasions.
The petition, which was filed anonymously under the screen-name “Concerned Parent” on Dec. 26, 2019, states that on Dec. 13, 2019, an 8th grade student at Pennfield Middle School allegedly threatened to “shoot up” the school. The petition also claims that the student had allegedly made terroristic threats against the school on a prior occasion, including the alleged creation of a list of students commonly referred to as a “hit list” or “kill list.”
At the root of the petition, parents have made a series of demands to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff, including having the student criminally prosecuted for making terroristic threats, having the student permanently expelled and having both actions tethered in response to any student who makes such threats in the future. The petition also cites an example from September 2019 in Luzerne County, in which a 15-year-old boy was ruled delinquent after he said he “wanted to beat the record of 19,” in reference to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
Due to the student being a juvenile, very little can be publicly confirmed regarding the details of the incident, as well as any charges that may have been filed in response. When reached for comment, Hatfield Township Police Chief William Tierney told North Penn Now that he could not go into specifics about the Change.org petition, but he did confirm that an incident was reported to police on Dec. 15.
“[The incident] was dealt with immediately, and appropriate action was taken,” said Tierney.
Following the incident being reported to police, Pennfield Middle School Principal Dr. Sean O’Sullivan sent out an email to parents later that evening, which read:
Dear Pennfield Families,
The safety of our students is of utmost importance, as is communicating with our families so that they have accurate information. This weekend, school administration learned of a rumor circulating regarding a student making threatening remarks while at school last week. Hatfield and Towamencin police were contacted, investigated the situation and determined that the school is safe.
At no time were students and staff in immediate danger. However, the report of threatening statements made by any student will always be taken seriously and the police will be notified to determine the legitimacy of the threat.
I ask that parents speak with their children to discuss the seriousness of such situations. As a reminder, here is a link to the NPSD Discipline Code.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Dr. O’Sullivan
The Change.org petition was launched roughly 11 days later, and has since been signed by more than 1,440 people as of the time this article was published.
North Penn School District has issued an official response to the petition, but added that they could not offer comment on specific student situations due to the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Their statement reads, in full:
The safety of North Penn School District students and staff is of utmost importance, as is communicating with our families so that they have accurate and timely information.
We recently became aware of a change.org petition regarding the safety of students at Pennfield Middle School and the discipline of students in all of our schools. We cannot comment on specific student situations and matters of individual discipline due to confidentiality issues related to the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). We can, however, assure our community that school administrators and security staff work closely with local law enforcement to thoroughly investigate all school safety concerns. We engage in on-going, proactive communication with students, families, North Penn staff, and with local law enforcement to maintain safe school environments for our entire community.
There are numerous practices in place for families, students and community members to voice their concerns and make suggestions to administration, from Community Conversations with the Superintendent, to school board meetings to face-to-face meetings. As NPSD begins the new year, school officials will continue to work with parents in addressing their concerns so that together we can continue to be successful in protecting everyone in our schools and keeping North Penn schools safe.
North Penn School Board Director Jonathan Kassa, who serves as chairman of the Safe Schools Committee, said he was briefed on the incident by North Penn School District Superintendent Dr. Curt Dietrich, and together they are confident that all of the protocols were followed and that the matter was dealt with by the district, in partnership with law enforcement.
“The incident was handled promptly and effectively,” said Kassa. “Sadly, we are all fearful for our families and students in dealing with our society's gun violence epidemic, so there is a reason the community is so sensitive to what happens when a threat occurs. As a parent of students, and as someone who served juvenile justice systems for well over a decade and continues to have a career in campus safety and security, I'm confident in the way North Penn and our law enforcement partners have handled this incident.”
Kassa said he welcomes any parent with concerns about school safety—be it this specific incident, or a more global view of safety within the district—to attend the upcoming Safe Schools meeting, scheduled for Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. at the Educational Services Center located at 401 E. Hancock Street in Lansdale. Kassa added that those who may not be able to attend the formal meetings are welcome to reach out to the school board and district administrators via phone, email or in-person at any time.
“I view this as another opportunity to extend outreach and to increase engagement and communication with my fellow community members,” said Kassa. “The more that the community learns about the robust safety, security and threat assessment and response strategies we employ, the less we will need to address the concerns of such petitions. As always, we welcome input and engagement, directly with school board members and the administration, at monthly committee meetings, as well as school board meetings.”
See also:
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Cosplay Causes Consternation, School Lockout In Hatfield
Student Charged After Threatening To ‘Shoot Up’ Penndale Middle School
One Student Charged in Penndale Lockdown, Investigation Continues
Penndale Middle School Locked Down Tuesday, Three BB Guns Found (UPDATED)
