AKRON, Ohio — Following a death note being found in an I Promise school classroom, teachers are criticizing the school's handling of the situation, saying they are downplaying it, while the school says they did as they were supposed to.
Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Akron Education Association said a teacher found a paper on the floor. On the front page was a drawing with the words “Death Note.” On the second page was a list of 52 names: 30 students and 22 teachers. That teacher immediately reported it to administration but what happened next is why some are concerned.
“No emergency personnel were called. The building was not locked down. So we know now that the student who wrote the list remained in the classroom. No lockers were searched,” Pat Shipe, the president of the Akron Education Association, said.
Shipe, the president of the Akron Education Association, said six days later, parents and staff were notified about the incident.
“I got a call from a handful of teachers that were aware and were rightfully concerned, crying, saying, my husband's saying, don't go to work tomorrow. This student is still in the classroom Friday,” said Shipe.
Tuesday, that student was suspended, and Shippe said when the students come back, they will get counseling.
That same day, I promise School Principal Stephanie Davis sent an email to parents addressing the death note, writing the following:
“Our careful investigation revealed that a scholar had recreated a journal from a popular anime series as a playful gesture among friends. While we determined there was no actual threat to our school community, we want you to know that we take all security concerns seriously and investigate each one thoroughly.”
In another email on Wednesday, Sept. 18, to a teacher asking for more information regarding the incident, Davis stated that the school followed protocols and again determined the note was not of concern, writing the following:
"Mrs. Pestello and Mr. Ziccardi immediately initiated the APS Threat Assessment protocol, which is a research-based, comprehensive process for evaluating any potential threatening situation. Through following that process, we determined that there was no evidence of any credible threat. Furthermore, the note did not meet the threshold for 'duty to warn' any potential target of a credible threat. It is important to remember that not every threat poses a threat."
However, Shipe said many teachers still have more questions, and more should still be done, including a meeting to talk about how this could be handled better. She believes the school did not follow many school board policies and is still downplaying the situation.
“You make it right by taking it seriously. The administration needs to sit down with us and discuss. It's even in the Board's policy after the fact, those teams get together and review what happened and see what did not happen correctly, what did happen correctly, and make adjustments. We can't do that because there are no teams put in place,” said Shipe.
National police security expert Tim Dimoff believes the situation could have been handled better and that every threat towards a school should be taken seriously.
“Those days are over. We don't guess or try to determine whether it's a legitimate threat or not,” Dimoff went on today, “We have several shootings that have happened in the past that were perceived initially as a joke or not serious, or weren't taken serious,”
Dimoff believes the threat should have been investigated immediately and the student removed.
“Each of those children need to be interviewed by law enforcement, security authorities, and we need to send a message to the current and to the other students and we also need to make the parents responsible for their children,” said Dimoff.
News 5 reached out to Akron police about the incident; they said they are aware of it, but the school handled the matter internally. Dimoff adds that this can happen anywhere and should be used as a learning opportunity.
“Without a doubt, there's no exception to investigating, immediately notifying the people that are on the list, and most importantly, the students involved, and the students not involved, they need to understand and see that there are consequences,” said Dimoff.
Akron School District responded to the criticism in a statement. Its statement said that the death notice was promptly addressed with a nationally recognized threat assessment process.
They determined the note was inspired by a cartoon, calling it a playful gesture among friends. The superintendent says all security concerns are taken seriously and investigated completely.
You can find the full statement below:
Akron Public Schools (APS) continues to forge ahead with innovative learning experiences, demonstrating that robust safety protocols can coexist with academic progress. This balance was recently put to the test at the I PROMISE School (IPS), where a potential threat was swiftly addressed without derailing the district's educational mission.
IPS Principal Stephanie Davis communicated with families about a security concern that had arisen. A teacher discovered a piece of paper with "Death Notice" handwritten on one side and names of sta and scholars on the other. The incident, initially described by the teachers' union (AEA) as a "grave safety incident," was promptly evaluated using the district’s nationally recognized threat assessment process. After Principal Davis followed all safety protocols and contacted her immediate supervisor, the District took prompt action to address the matter.
The comprehensive assessment, which included interviews with all potentially involved parties, concluded that the incident posed no real threat. Principal Davis revealed that "a scholar had recreated a journal from a cartoon series as a playful gesture among friends." However, she stressed that all security concerns are taken seriously and investigated completely, regardless of intent.
"After continued evaluation of the situation, additional eorts were made - nothing was minimized or dismissed," emphasized Superintendent Dr. Michael Robinson. "This is why we have tiered systems of support - not only for our scholars but for our sta," Dr. Robinson stated. “Our responsibility is to cultivate our scholars’ social emotional learning. Discipline involves teaching and, at times, issuing consequences.”
The superintendent added, “We all witnessed the recent event in Georgia and that is why we are highly aware of the importance of school safety. This is key to our Blueprint for Excellence - The Strategic Plan, Cornerstone I: Culture of Safety and Belonging.” Robinson continued, “We take every potential threat seriously. As superintendent, I am deeply engaged with what happens in our schools, and transparency is a core value of this system and administration. The unfortunate incident was unforeseeable, but it does not define IPS or our district. To suggest otherwise is reckless and undermines the dedication of our scholars, employees, and community.”
"As the superintendent, I am keenly engaged with what is happening in our schools. This is an unfortunate situation that could not be predicted - it doesn't define I Promise or our district,” stated Dr. Robinson. “The press release is reckless and detrimental to our scholars, educators, and community. APS teachers work tirelessly every day to support our scholars. We acted swiftly and appropriately in response. Unfortunately, APS has repeatedly been attacked by those who should stand with us. Often times they are providing the media with half truths and negativity, portraying us in a way that is both demeaning and damaging. This narrative does not reflect the integrity of our district, or the families who trust us to educate their children, or the potential gravity of this situation. APS is still strong! APS is safe! APS will continue educating our scholars at the optimum level!"
Further, it must be stated that APS is troubled that in the AEA’s news release regarding the incident the union includes information that compromises the scholar’s federally protected privacy rights. APS vigorously protects scholars’ privacy and educational records and expects our aliated organizations to do the same.
This incident highlights Akron Public Schools proactive approach to safety, which begins at the start of each school year with clear communication to families about expectations, consequences, and the importance of adhering to established security protocols. Scholars found to have made threats face disciplinary action under our Code of Conduct and potential legal and criminal consequences.
Superintendent Robinson sees this situation as an educational opportunity to talk to our scholars, both at school and at home about responsible behavior. "This is a chance to talk to our children both at school and at home about responsible behavior and the consequences of their actions, even if intended as a joke," he noted.
As Akron Public Schools navigates these challenges, the District remains focused on its primary mission: providing innovative, high-quality education to its students. By eciently addressing security concerns and protecting student privacy, APS demonstrates its ability to maintain a safe and respectful learning environment without compromising academic progress.
The District continues to implement cutting-edge educational programs and experiences, ensuring that scholars receive a forward-thinking education that prepares them for future success. This incident serves as a testament to APS's commitment to balancing safety, privacy, and academic excellence, proving that with the right protocols in place, schools can swiftly address concerns while keeping their focus firmly on education and scholar achievement.
That is why we are here.
