Hart County News-Herald, Horse Cave, March 26, 2015
Alleged threat to student results in grievance filed by parents
By Jerry Matera
An incident occurred at LeGrande Elementary School on February 6 involving an alleged threat by one student to bring a gun to school and shoot another student. The father of the threatened student, Jimmy Dunagan, wrote a letter to the newspaper and appeared at the Hart County School Board meeting on March 17 at Cub Run. He stated in his letter and at the Board meeting that he was not informed of the threat to his child.
Mr. Dunagan filed a grievance with the Hart County School District concerning the incident and the principal’s response to it.
The News-Herald asked for and received a copy of the District’s policy concerning assaults and threats. The pertinent sections of the policy read as follows:
PUPILS
Any pupil who threatens, assaults, batters or abuses another pupil shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion.
NOTIFICATIONS
“As soon as the Superintendent/designee confirms that a serious threat has been confirmed, designated personnel shall attempt to notify staff members and/or students who have been threatened and parents of students who are the subject of a threat. Such notification shall observe and comply with confidentiality requirements of applicable law including, but not limited to, state and federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) laws.”
The parents of the student threatened shared the response to their grievance with The News-Herald and it reads as follows:
SUPERINTENDENT/DESIGNEE’S RESPONSE
“In reviewing the grievance, the finding is that Mrs. Harper followed the required procedures in investigating the alleged threat, applied the district discipline policy accordingly, and determined there was not an eminent threat to student safety. A reprimand has been issued to the principal to provide notification to parents in the future if/when a threat to student safety is made. The principal will also undergo training in the area of school safety.”
The response is signed by Superintendent Ricky Line.
Also, the child who allegedly made the threat was suspended from school for three days. The student who was the victim of the alleged threat has since transferred to the Caverna District.