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Board of ED and school officials discuss dealing with school threats

Boards of Education and administrators struggle with the question of how to maintain necessary confidentiality, with parents’ right to know how districts handle cases involving any student accused of threats at school. Shelter Island is no different.

The question was raised by a parent at Monday night’s Board of Education meeting saying that despite the notice that quickly went to parents about threats made in December and February, there is community concern about how such reports are handled.

In the first case, Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D., said he was notified of a student having made a threat at midnight and sent a notice to parents early the following morning. He learned about the February case at about 9:15 a.m. and sent a notice to parents by 9:35 a.m.

In such cases, the protocol is to involve Shelter Island Police to investigate, Mr. Doelger said. But to outline in detail steps to be taken in a small district like Shelter Island can easily compromise privacy.

Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Rylott pointed out that the school has an obligation to protect the identity of a student accused of making a threat. But to create a flow chart for parents to see who, aside from police, might be called on to assist in handling such a case could compromise privacy.

After a threat, if a student is seen meeting with the school psychologist or social worker or the superintendent, others might conclude that is the accused student. That may be inaccurate since resources are available to all students for many reasons, so who might be involved in dealing with the case should not be made public, Ms. Rylott said.

Mr. Doelger said he’s particularly sensitive to parents’ concerns, having become a father himself last September. But he has to balance that feeling with the obligation to protect the identity of any student who might be accused of making a threat.

There are laws in place limiting what can be said, Mr. Doelger said.

All agreed teachers and staff have to be given more direction about their obligations to report any concerns they have and to receive appropriate information about how to handle such situations.

That’s something traditionally addressed in meetings at the start of each school year, Mr. Doelger said. But the effort can be enhanced.

In the December case, Det. Sgt. Jack Thilberg said following an investigation, police determined it was appropriate to refer the case back to the school for resolution through existing policies and services.

In the February case, Det. Sgt. Thilberg said the student was suspended from school pending a superintendent’s hearing and the student’s parents were informed of services available to assist the student.

Suffolk County Family Court System officials were consulted regarding the possibility of a criminal charge should it be “warranted and necessary” if efforts to help the student are not ”productive and successful,” Det. Sgt. Thilberg said.

In other actions:

• The Board explained that its policy of not issuing class rankings for students has been in place since 2010 with minor changes in its update this year. Concerns that a lack of class ranking could become a barrier to students seeking acceptance to a military academy or major university or qualification for scholarships were met with an explanation that a student applying to a school or applying for a scholarship could make known the need for a class ranking and it has always been provided.

• The Board accepted a gift of playground fitness equipment, materials and labor from Dawgpatch Bandits, a Sag Harbor organization formed in 2018 to honor two friends — Mike Semkus and Anthony Grasso — who died from opioid overdoses. The nonprofit organization raises awareness of the opioid epidemic and uses physical challenges as a means of promoting fitness as a positive mental and physical outlet to support recovery from substance abuse.

Board member Kathleen Lynch credited Islanders Charlie Binder and Matt Dunning, who have done a lot to help young children avoid following the wrong paths in their lives, with the outreach to their Dawgpatch friends who are providing the equipment that is to be installed by the basketball courts as soon as the weather allows.