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Parent tells Salem County special services board he fears for his son’s safety, says HIB probes unfinished
Summary
During the Nov. 25 meeting, SCVTS parent Joseph Longo told the Salem County Special Services School District board no HIB investigations had been completed, said he was "scared for his child's life," and asked the board to protect his son; the board later entered executive session for student discipline.
Joseph Longo, identified in the meeting record as a parent and guardian of an SCVTS student, told the Salem County Special Services School District board on Nov. 25 that no harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) investigations into incidents involving his son have been completed and that he is "scared for his child's life." He asked the board to intervene and said district staff member Jason Helder had not protected his son, saying he was not sure whether Helder was "incompetent or hated the Longo family."
Board meeting minutes show Mr. Swain (a district staff member who spoke during the meeting) said he was not aware of a carjacking incident over the summer that Longo referenced. The public record does not identify whether the incidents Longo described were the subject of earlier reports or which offices within the district had been assigned to investigate them.
After public comment the board recessed into executive session later in the meeting to discuss student discipline. The agenda and minutes state that executive-session discussions that need not remain confidential will be made public when feasible and that the minutes of executive session will not be disclosed until confidentiality no longer exists. The minutes do not record a public resolution or disciplinary outcome in open session at the time the meeting adjourned.
The remarks by Longo were recorded in the board minutes as part of "Audience Participation 2." The minutes attribute his remarks to a public comment and note his requests that the board help protect his son, his statement that no HIB investigations had been completed, and his expression of fear for his child's safety.
What the record does not show: the minutes do not quote any board member or administrator detailing steps the district will take immediately to open or complete an HIB investigation in response to Longo's allegations, nor do they record any formal board vote or direction in open session tied directly to Longo's comments. The meeting moved to executive session later in the agenda for student-discipline matters, after which no public action was recorded before adjournment.
The district’s meeting packet and minutes list procedures for executive sessions under the Open Public Meetings Act and note that any discussion that need not remain confidential will be made public as soon as feasible.
