Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Schuylkill Valley board moves to secure interim SRO as parents press for independent review of Sept. 30 incident
Summary
After months of public concern about a September school incident, the board described steps toward a 'bridge' SRO from Northern Berks Police and outlined ongoing negotiations with the police union; public commenters urged independent review and criticized district records responses.
Schuylkill Valley School District officials on Jan. 27 said they are pursuing a temporary school resource officer (SRO) assignment with Northern Berks Police while working on a permanent contract for an armed SRO next year. The board said the police department must employ the SRO and that the district’s solicitor is negotiating language to add an SRO position into the police union contract.
The discussion followed multiple public comments about a Sept. 30 incident that prompted a lockdown. Resident Joseph Brown said his Right‑to‑Know appeal was denied and that district communications characterized the event as "unfortunate" and later as "only a BB gun." Brown said the district’s appeal response indicated no written reports were produced the day of the incident and urged an independent investigation.
Several residents, including Jeff Golden, pressed the board for faster deployment of safety measures. Golden said the district has gone four months without a full‑time SRO and described concerns about drug searches, jacket/evacuation practices, and response timing. The board replied that Northern Berks officers have been visiting the schools and that a bridge position is a voting item being advanced to provide increased police presence for the rest of the school year while a full contract is negotiated.
Board members said negotiating SRO language requires amendment to the police department’s union contract and that their solicitor and the police commission are involved. The board also noted some safety details are being kept from public materials for security reasons but that they will provide verbal updates on progress.
The board did not announce a final contract or a hire; they described ongoing negotiations and said payment and contract language with the police union must be resolved before a permanent SRO can be employed by the department.
