Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents press Erie board for answers after Jefferson Elementary incident; superintendent says internal review found no student threat
Summary
Parents and board members clashed over the district's response to a recent incident at Jefferson Elementary. Superintendent Dr. Gibbs said an internal review found the event was driven by a disgruntled parent rather than a student threat; parents said communication and accountability were insufficient.
Several parents and community members pressed the Erie Public Schools board Wednesday for clearer answers and better communication after a recent safety incident at Jefferson Elementary that prompted a large emergency response.
Superintendent Dr. Gibbs addressed the board, saying a district investigation concluded the event "was driven by a disgruntled parent, not a student threat," and that proper use of the district’s strategic safety system would have justified a hold rather than a full lockdown. She framed safety as a partnership between parents, administration and educators and highlighted discipline data that she said require systemic change: students with disabilities accounted for roughly 50% of suspensions and Black, Hispanic and multi-racial students were suspended about twice the rate of peers.
At the lectern, parent Christopher Klingman said he and a growing group of parents were dissatisfied with the district’s description of the incident and the level of follow-up. Klingman said some parents learned about injuries only after returning to the school and described teachers feeling blamed after activating alerts; he said several experienced teachers had requested transfers out of the school.
Other speakers, including Tina Hyotis, urged more training for staff and better responsiveness from athletic and transportation staff after she said she followed a district vehicle at high speeds to Pittsburgh.
United Way and other partners who addressed the board urged continued collaboration and transparent use of data; the superintendent and several board members said they would create or accelerate review committees—among them a suicide-prevention and crisis-review committee—and work to centralize reporting so concerns reach the appropriate staff more reliably.
The board did not take a formal policy vote on the Jefferson incident at the meeting; Dr. Gibbs and several board members pledged to continue community engagement and provide follow-up to parents who requested it.
