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Student, parent tell Middletown Area SD board bullying and threats pushed family to transfer out of district
Summary
A student and a parent told the board that repeated bullying, harassment and death threats went unresolved and prompted them to enroll their children at an alternative school, urging the district to take stronger action.
A student and a parent used the board’s public-comment period to say repeated bullying, harassment and threats at Middletown Area School District went unaddressed and forced their families to leave district schools.
Gabriella Christman, who gave her address to the board and said she was transferred to an alternative program (CCA) in November, described ongoing bullying and harassment she said persisted despite raising the issues with teachers and administrators. “Ignoring the problem does not make it disappear,” Christman told the board. She named two classmates she said were the primary source of the problems and said school responses—she said, in at least one case, advising her to “ignore their attacks and distractions”—made the situation worse.
Rachel Silver, a parent who also identified herself by address, said her children had repeatedly reported bullying, harassment and death threats and that the family ultimately enrolled their children in CCA because they did not feel safe. Silver said one attack the family reported at the middle school was treated as “just a rumor” during an investigation and that no action followed. “You failed my children,” Silver told the board, and she urged the district to move beyond talk to make changes that protect all students.
Board leaders did not provide a detailed on-the-record response during the public-comment period; the meeting proceeded to the secretary’s report and routine agenda items. The administration told the board that written responses to public-comment questions would be provided when appropriate, consistent with the board’s public-comment rules.
Both speakers asked for stronger action and clearer follow-up when students report harassment. The public-comment rules the board recited at the start of the period require commenters to state name and address and limit remarks to three minutes; the administration said answers to some questions would be provided in writing when needed.
