School failed to prevent attack by trans student with 'hit list' despite warnings: classmate
A Pennsylvania middle school student says she warned a school official in advance of last week's bloody attack by a trans-identified student against one of her classmates, the response to which has sparked criticism from parents and community members.
Emily, a student at Pennbrook Middle School, was one of several people to speak about the attack during a Thursday North Penn School Board meeting. She said she was seated at a nearby table last Wednesday when a 13-year-old trans student known as "Melanie" began beating a 12-year-old girl with a metal Stanley cup.
Melanie reportedly had a "hit list" of people he planned to attack, and Emily was allegedly one of his targets.
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Emily claims she warned the school's staff about the hit list and learned the student planned to attack her and the other girl who was assaulted during lunch and that she should "watch [her] back."
Emily said she was "terrified" and told a teacher about her concerns. But she claims the teacher responded, "Don't worry about it; it's not going to happen."
"You could've stopped it," Emily said during the school board meeting. "It was five hours from when I told you it was going to happen. I don't get how you couldn't have stopped that."
The middle schooler said that the girl who was attacked didn't see it coming, as her back was to the trans student. Emily remembered hearing "terrible loud bangs" as the assailant hit the girl in the head with the Stanley cup.
The student known as "Melanie" grabbed the girl by the hair and continued to beat her with the cup as blood went "everywhere," Emily said. As he hit the girl with the cup, the boy repeatedly yelled, "I'm going to murder you!"
The middle school student added that the school was placed on lockdown for at least 28 minutes, not eight minutes, as the school board had claimed in an email.
"We had to sit there and watch them clean up her blood off the table and ground," Emily said as she became emotional during her testimony. "And we had to watch them take her out with blood dripping down her face, and I will never forget that!"
"Laying in bed last night, I just kept repeating it in my head," Emily continued. "And we shouldn't have had to sit there and just watch that."
The North Penn School District did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.
Parent Alyssa Santiago said during the school board meeting that her daughter was also on the alleged "hit list" and called the school twice to warn of threats against the student's safety, according to The Reporter Online.
Superintendent Todd Bauer said during the meeting that the victim of the attack has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home. He requested privacy for the victim, the assailant and their families as the police and school officials investigate.
"This should not have happened, period. Such behavior has no place in our schools," Bauer was quoted as saying, according to Fox 29. "You expect better. We expect better, and I certainly do, as well. Every parent has the right to send their child to school and their child to feel safe."
"As a result of yesterday's incident, I do recognize and understand why some of you did not feel that way this morning," Bauer added. "Please do not perceive my lack of response to your comments as a lack of genuine and sincere care."
Parents who spoke during the meeting last Thursday expressed frustration with how the school handled the incident.
One parent, Chris Pekula, questioned why the other students were kept in the same room while the staff cleaned blood from the attack off of the floor, The Reporter Online notes.
Other parents recalled receiving messages from their scared children at the time of the attack.
"Your worst fear comes to light when you get that call from your kid crying in school," another parent, Stephanie Pallica, was quoted as saying. She objected to how the school district informed parents of the matter, saying it was "really disrespectful."
"'Mom, help me, I'm scared, there's blood everywhere.' You can't get to them fast enough. And they hang up on you because teachers and staff are yelling at them to hang up their phones."
"So we're left to speculate the worst: God forbid, school shooting, stabbing. I hear my kid fearing for her life and tons of kids in the background, screaming and crying. I just don't know what went wrong. I would like to know and be assured that this child will not be returning to any other North Penn schools, at all."
The assailant will be charged as a juvenile and is facing aggravated assault and other charges, according to CBS Philadelphia.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
