Board committee advances new terroristic-threats policy and three other student-related policies
October 24, 2025 | Allentown City SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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District administrators presented five policy items to the policy committee on Oct. 23 and asked the board to move them forward to the regular meeting for consideration.
Doctor Malika Savoy introduced three policies on first read: a new policy on supplemental discipline records (Policy 216.1), a new student complaint process (Policy 219), and revisions to the pregnant/parenting/married students policy (Policy 234). Doctor Savoy said the pregnant/parenting policy wording was updated to align with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) revisions and to include a nonexhaustive list of reasonable modifications.
District counsel and administrators then presented two policies led by Dr. Whartonby: an amended weapons policy and a newly drafted Policy 218.2 addressing terroristic threats. Administrators said Policy 218.2 was developed after a recent spate of bomb threats and hoaxes affecting local schools (five incidents across district buildings in the prior month). The proposed policy prohibits students from making terroristic threats toward people or district property and would require threat assessment and law-enforcement protocols in accordance with state and federal rules. Staff noted the student code of conduct already designates terroristic threats and bomb hoaxes as level-4, expellable offenses and emphasized the need for consistent enforcement and compliance with procedures for students with disabilities, including manifestation determinations.
Board members asked clarifying questions about how the policy would apply to students with disabilities, and legal and special-education staff explained the federally required manifestation-determination process that occurs before expulsion decisions for eligible students.
All five policies were moved by the committee to the regular board agenda for final consideration.
Ending: The committee advanced the policies for full-board action; administrators said they had also conducted assemblies and Safe-to-Say training at secondary schools in response to recent threats.
Doctor Malika Savoy introduced three policies on first read: a new policy on supplemental discipline records (Policy 216.1), a new student complaint process (Policy 219), and revisions to the pregnant/parenting/married students policy (Policy 234). Doctor Savoy said the pregnant/parenting policy wording was updated to align with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) revisions and to include a nonexhaustive list of reasonable modifications.
District counsel and administrators then presented two policies led by Dr. Whartonby: an amended weapons policy and a newly drafted Policy 218.2 addressing terroristic threats. Administrators said Policy 218.2 was developed after a recent spate of bomb threats and hoaxes affecting local schools (five incidents across district buildings in the prior month). The proposed policy prohibits students from making terroristic threats toward people or district property and would require threat assessment and law-enforcement protocols in accordance with state and federal rules. Staff noted the student code of conduct already designates terroristic threats and bomb hoaxes as level-4, expellable offenses and emphasized the need for consistent enforcement and compliance with procedures for students with disabilities, including manifestation determinations.
Board members asked clarifying questions about how the policy would apply to students with disabilities, and legal and special-education staff explained the federally required manifestation-determination process that occurs before expulsion decisions for eligible students.
All five policies were moved by the committee to the regular board agenda for final consideration.
Ending: The committee advanced the policies for full-board action; administrators said they had also conducted assemblies and Safe-to-Say training at secondary schools in response to recent threats.
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