BP board member advocates for tougher punishment on student threats

Threats have caused major disruptions in Bethel Park School District and one school board member thinks it should lead to serious consequences for the students responsible.
Director Jim Means called for a tougher policy on terroristic threats that would make expulsion mandatory for any student who makes threats that lead to a school cancellation.
“It’s time that we treat this as seriously as it really is,” Means said at the board’s regular meeting Oct. 23.
Last year, the district cancelled classes at least three times due to various threats and it already has one cancellation this year. Schools were closed Oct. 19 after an anonymous threat of violence. To make up that day, schools will be open Jan. 21, which is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“This is a loss of a tremendous amount of instructional time,” Means said. “When we’re shutting schools down, we need to deal with this severely.”
School resource officers and Bethel Park police investigate threats, and if they determine that a particular student or students are culpable, those children will face discipline. Expulsion, which is defined as a student suspension of more than 10 days, is one option.
Some board members expressed concern if expulsion was the only option, which would be the case if the board required it within district policy.
“We need to have some flexibility,” board President Donna Cook said.
Discipline is decided on a case-by-case basis now. After an investigation, school administrators, including Superintendent Joseph Pasquerilla, reach an agreement with the student’s parents as to the most appropriate discipline. Administrators weigh the severity of the infraction, whether or not it is a repeat offense, the age of the child and other factors before making a recommendation on punishment.
“If we put it directly in the policy, there wouldn’t be any room to consider mitigating factors,” Pasquerilla said.
Means compared making threats to bringing a weapon to school. For the latter infraction, policy dictates that the student will face expulsion of at least a year. However, the mandatory expulsion for weapons is required under state law; the state gives school districts more flexibility in determining discipline for threats.
Parent Sharon Janosik said she agreed with the need for flexibility in determining discipline. However, she understood Means’ desire to deter threats.
“I think a lot of parents would like the students to be advised of the maximum penalty that may befall them if they decide to make those kinds of threats,” she said.
In other business, the board:
Approved the purchase of guide rails around the high school parking lot for $15,300. The guide rails will prevent vehicles from rolling over the hill on the upper part of the lot.
Approved the purchase of 79 braille signs at Independence Middle School at a cost of $5,300.
Made changes to staffing. The board closed two part-time health services nurse positions, have opened two full-time health services nurse positions as well as one full-time bus driver.
Hired Tyler Schnupp as long-term substitute second-grade teacher at Ben Franklin Elementary School.