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Public commenters allege Safe2Say misuse; board requests executive session and investigation
Summary
Two public commenters pressed the district on teacher retention and alleged misuse of the Safe2Say anonymous tip line; board members asked administration for details and scheduled an executive session to explore the complaints and whether the DA should be involved.
Ashley Morrison of Shrewsbury opened public comment by urging the board to make teacher retention a higher priority and to address working conditions that may be driving departures. Morrison said roughly 60 educators and administrators have left since December 2023 and urged the district to publish retention plans.
Bob Betts followed during public comment, saying district administrators had attempted to silence him and, in his view, weaponized the Safe2Say anonymous reporting system against students and families. “This district operates under a shroud of darkness,” Betts said, and he called for immediate resignations or terminations of certain administrators and for a formal review of how Safe2Say is taught and used in district buildings.
Board members responded by asking clarifying questions about the program’s operation and oversight. Director [S6 — Henkel] asked administration to lay out current Safe2Say usages and any patterns that might indicate misuse. Dr. Reppert (S5) and other administrators explained that Safe2Say reports are anonymous by default, that the district receives tip information from the system and that the Pennsylvania district attorney’s office may conduct investigations when the tipster provides identifying information or when law‑enforcement involvement is required. Administrators said repeated reports identifying the same student or staff member would prompt an internal review and potentially referral to the DA.
Directors noted that training and the process for handling tips (including how anonymity is preserved or broken) deserved further review. Several board members said they wanted the district to present training materials and usage statistics. Personnel and Policy Chair Samantha Hall requested additional documentation and asked administration to bring the board an executive‑session briefing after the public meeting; the board agreed and administration committed to prepare materials.
The meeting moved to an executive session after adjournment to discuss personnel and safety matters related to the public comments. No formal disciplinary actions or personnel changes were announced at the meeting.
