This letter to the editor was submitted to LebTown. Read our submission policy here.
Dear Mr. Coyle,
I read with interest your article entitled “Police: Palmyra hit-and-run suspect hid in high school for 2 hours before fleeing” which was published today.
As a sitting member of the Palmyra Area School District board, elected in November of 2023, I became aware of this event in the same way as the other members of the general public – through your article and a prior one which appeared last Friday in the Lebanon Daily News.
Like other parents in the school district, I have many questions about the events of January 7th, and how they were investigated and ultimately, communicated. I reached out to the president of our board, Mr. Mike Koval, last Friday and have not received any further information. I believe that it is important for your readers to be aware that even sitting board members have not been informed of this individual’s presence within one of our buildings. I have been told that at least two other sitting members were not aware of this incident either.
The school board and the parents should have been properly notified of this situation immediately. A general email about an “incident in the community” was sent out to parents and the board at 9:07 and 9:15 pm that evening, respectively, by PASD superintendent Dr. Bernie Kepler. However, the email did not mention there was an individual in one of our buildings while a swim meet and wrestling practice and a booster meeting was taking place concurrently. Board members cannot fulfill the duties and obligations of their elected office without full knowledge and information. And, no parent should need a special level of clearance to know what is going on at their school especially when it jeopardizes the safety of their children.
In my mind, this incident raises serious questions regarding the school’s security measures, communications and transparency. As both a parent and a school board member, I intend to push for answers. I encourage fellow parents and community members with concerns to attend our next board meeting on February 13, 2025, at 6 p.m. to be held at the Lingle Avenue elementary school cafeteria and raise these issues directly with the administration.
Accordingly, I will be requesting an internal investigation on how and why this was kept from not only the board but also from members of the public.
We all deserve answers.
Sincerely,
Jill Martin, PASD School Board Member
