PRIEST RIVER, Idaho – A group of students at Priest River Junior High is walking out of school in protest of what they called a lack of school action on a serious safety threat.
The walkout was sparked by what students and parents said was a student who had made threatening comments and had a ‘hit list’ that the school was aware of.
Principal Loretta Glazier said the school is aware of the threat and even involved law enforcement on one instance.
In an email she wrote on Tuesday, she stated that the student said he was going to “shoot up the school” to which she called him into her office and did an investigation with police.
After the investigation students reported seeing the student being “drug out” of lunch by police because he wouldn’t comply with orders.
The student then met with school staff, parents, the school counselor and the officer to discuss how to help the student.
Reports of the walkout came from students and parents who said that the school was not prioritizing their safety in this situation as the student was not disciplined by school staff and was back at school the next day.
The principal sent an email to parents Tuesday saying that, “I take any type of threat seriously and take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of all students.”
In addition to this, Joseph Kren, the Interim West Bonner County School District Superintendent said, “What I can say is that student safety is a top priority. Any concern is taken seriously by administrators at the building level, the district level, teachers take them seriously.”
Some students said the school is ignoring them in this walkout by not providing lunch or working to fix the situation.
Principal Glazier denied the allegations in the email to parents.
“They are being supervised by adults, however parents need to come pick them up as soon as possible, if they do not return to class,” Glazier said. “Any rumors circling around about locking students out, starving them, or searching lockers are completely false.”
Principal Glazier is asking parents to pick up their student if they are not in class, but some parents and students said they’re standing their ground and want to be heard.
