HASD Responds To Threats, Calling Them "Misinformation"...

As this is a particularly touchy subject, this article should be considered to be the sole thoughts of the author and not a reflection of Hazleton News 1.

A press release from the HASD Office of Superintendent refers to recent threats of "shooting up the school" as "misinformation".

The press release acknowledges that comments made by a student were brought to the attention of school staff and administration and that school district protocol was followed and continues to be followed.

It then goes on to state that there are no credible threats to the safety of students and staff at any facility.

(Note that the press release does not state that there were no threats. It states there were no "credible threats")

Overall however, the author-less press release gives no information on what comments were said, or how the threats were determined to not be credible. In the second paragraph, the press release states that the school district is restricted by law regarding the type of information it can provide to the public in certain situations.

(Note that the press release does not state that laws regulate information in THIS situation.)

After a little digging, I had found that this scapegoat is true, however unrelated to the situation. - Under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), the school district cannot share a student's educational records.

- HIPAA does not cover schools UNLESS there is health care provider at the school that bills patients. (Nurses, psychologists, and physicians at the school do not count.) HIPAA then leaves full control to FERPA.

* Information can be found here on fancy government websites:

http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/faq/513/does-hipaa-apply-to-an-elementary-school/index.html AND http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/library/pacdc.html

Since HIPAA has no control in the HASD, and FERPA concerns educational records (Sprecifically the release of information using records as a source), then disciplinary records should be available to the public, along with any incidents that the district may or may not have had "brought to their attention".

It is unbelievable that the Hazleton Area School District would keep any information from parents.

In fact, despite the "press release", the HASD has not actually released any information aside from the fact that there were threats, just not credible ones.

And the kicker is that the press release wasn't sent out to inform parents.

The district was forced to send it to "dispel certain rumors".

HASD, as parents of children in the district, we would like to know what threats are made against our children.

We would like to be informed BEFORE the district feels the need to "dispel rumors".

We to know exactly what the procedure is that you follow.

We want to know what disciplinary action was taken.

And most of all, we want you to stop lying.