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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Saturday, December 11, 2021
Pinelands Regional Parents Belatedly Told of ‘Hit List’ Investigation, But Are Promptly Informed of Another in Which a Student’s Remark About Bringing a ‘Gun into School’ Resulted in Immediate Removal By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
LITTLE EGG HARBOR—A remark reportedly uttered by a Pinelands Regional High School student that he was going to “bring a gun into school” has resulted in that student being removed from school grounds, it was announced on Dec. 6. And it came on the heels of another scare on Dec. 1 involving “rumors” that were apparently circulating amongst Pinelands Regional School District students that there was some sort of a “hit list” found at Pinelands Regional Junior High School, and that threats were made against students at both the high school and junior high school, which serve students in Bass River, Eagleswood, Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor. A purportedly belated notification of the initial incident, however, provoked criticism of school administrators. Numerous parents, according to a plethora of online postings, only found out about the initial incident when an increased police presence was observed at the district’s schools on Dec. 2, leading to social media chatter, while others learned about it from a Dec. 2 letter addressed to “Wildcat Families” in response to many inquiries that had been made about the reason for the increased police presence that day. “There are rumors circulating around Pinelands that threats are being made against students at both the high school and junior high school,” the Dec. 2 letter acknowledges. “We have investigated this matter fully and have confirmed that these are only rumors. Police officers who are new to the Little Egg Harbor Police Department were here today to tour both schools. Thank-you to those students who brought these rumors to our attention.” Confirming that the investigation had actually occurred the previous day, however, was a Dec. 2 press release from the Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department, posted on the department’s Facebook page. “Today, the Little Egg Harbor Police Department became aware of rumors circulating on social media about a “hit list” that was allegedly found at Pinelands Regional Junior High School,” the press release stated. “After speaking with school officials today, the police department was advised that this matter was investigated yesterday by school administrators, and it was determined that it was not a hit list. “At this time, (there) is no credible threat to the school community. We would like to add that the presence of additional officers at the Pinelands Junior High School today is merely a coincidence. These officers were onsite for prescheduled School Resource Officer (SRO) training.”
That press release also left several parents and community members to question online why school officials didn’t involve police in the investigation of the reported hit list/threats on Dec. 1, and only told law enforcement of the incident the following day. The criticisms and questions aimed at school officials prompted Superintendent Dr. Melissa McCooley to address the “timeline” of events in her “weekly update” video that was released on Dec. 3, though judging from the online comments, it did little to quell concerns. The superintendent contended that a “rumor circulating that there was a student that had some type of list written down about some students he liked and didn’t like” was brought to the attention junior high school Principal F. Eric Pschorr “on the morning” of Dec. 1. “Mr. Pschorr investigated and informed the SRO,” McCooley maintained. “He informed me later that day.” The superintendent further claimed that “there was absolutely no threat” and “absolutely nothing of concern in the whole situation,” and that’s why the school day on Dec. 1 “had carried on as usual.” She added that an additional police car was stationed at the junior high school, and then the high school, on Dec. 2 because the district is getting “two, new Class III SROs” and those new individuals were “touring” the school buildings. And on that same day, McCooley said, she and Pschorr found themselves “fielding many texts and phone calls from parents over an array of rumors that were circulating on social media regarding an alleged incident that took place at the junior high.” “At 11:30 in the morning, Mr. (Troy) Henderson (principal) over at the high school sent information to all students in the district, in grades 7 to 12, as well as to all staff and parents letting them know there was no threat in the junior high, and a thorough investigation took place, and he also mentioned the fact of why there was an additional cop car.” Then, at 12 noon on De c. 2, the superintendent acknowledged she received a phone call from James Hawkins, chief of the Little Egg Harbor Police Department, “to tell me the police station was getting an array of phone calls as well,” prompting him to send a message as well containing “exactly what we said” (though it was the department’s message that had revealed a bit more information, including the true timeframe). The superintendent then claimed that since that time she heard from parents “that they feel more comfortable that the information comes from me” when there are investigations involving such purported threats. See INVESTIGATION/ Page 11
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