Candidate raises bullying concerns; district officials outline reporting options

Karina Griffith, who said she is a graduate of the district and is running for a seat on the Altoona Area School District Board, used the public-comment portion of the meeting to describe a case brought to her attention in which a student was allegedly assaulted on school property and then disciplined. Griffith said the student who defended himself received three days in school while the other student received 10 days out of school.

Griffith said she works for a local counseling group and raised the matter to seek clarification of district discipline policy so she could better advise the family. She asked whether the disparity in sanctions reflected current district policy.

A district administrator responding during public comment said the board and administration would need specific incident details to provide a definitive response and encouraged the parent to contact Mark Harrington, who the administrator identified as overseeing secondary programs, or to contact building-level administrators so the district could collect the information and review the case.

District staff also described multiple reporting mechanisms available to students and families: an anonymous statewide reporting platform called ‘Safe2Say,’ local ‘bully boxes’ placed inside schools, and a tip line (referenced in the meeting as “946”) that routes reports to district school police for follow-up. The administrator said the district receives Safe2Say notifications and that earlier in the meeting staff had just received one. Staff urged that earlier reporting and more information improve the district’s ability to prevent further incidents.

No formal board action was taken on the matter during the meeting; the exchange occurred during public comment and the administrator offered contact points for follow-up.