Parents criticize district communication after reported threat

Diana Powers, a parent and community member in Jacks Bay, told the board she learned about a reported threat on April 16 through social media and not through official district channels and urged clearer districtwide notification. "The notice that I got regarding the situation was on Facebook. And that is not an official way to notify parents," she said.

Administrators said the administration was notified, police were contacted and a comprehensive threat-assessment protocol was followed; the protocol, developed with state police, includes social-media review and interviews. "The administration was notified. They took care of the situation and contacted police," an administrator said, and added that technical issues prevented an intended email from reaching all middle- and high-school parents.

Board members and parents said the mixed communications and social-media rumors led many families to keep students home the next day; administrators acknowledged a glitch in the call/email system and said they will use call-home and app notifications "when it is a serious situation." Dr. Brown (administrator), who later spoke with many parents, was described as having productive follow-up conversations.

The discussion highlighted constraints imposed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which administrators said limits the district's ability to disclose student disciplinary information: staff said they cannot share student-record details but can say that appropriate action was taken. Parents urged the district to develop clearer, redundant, district-level notifications so families know a threat has been investigated and removed without revealing confidential student details.