A Potomac Elementary School student was found Tuesday with a list of people “they thought should be harmed,” resulting in the involvement of Montgomery County police and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) security staff, according to a letter that Principal Nadia Kline-Taylor sent to the school community.
“We understand that this news may be unsettling,” Kline-Taylor said in the Tuesday letter, which was first reported by local news station Fox 5. “We want to assure you that we are taking all necessary steps to address the situation and are committed to providing you with transparent and timely updates as appropriate.”
According to the letter, Kline-Taylor was made aware Tuesday morning that a student had a page in a notebook that listed people the student thought should be harmed and which the student showed to multiple peers.
The school immediately investigated the matter, the letter said, and involved police and MCPS security staff. MCPS protocols were adhered to, Kline-Taylor said, and the Student Code of Conduct will be followed.
“I want to take this time to remind us that safety and security is a collective responsibility,” Kline-Taylor said. “In that vein, I want to thank the students and parents for doing their due diligence and bringing this information forward.”
According to the MCPS Student Code of Conduct, using threatening language can involve up to a level-four punishment, which includes up to short-term out-of-school time exclusionary responses like short-term suspension and the conduction of a behavioral threat assessment. However, in grades pre-kindergarten through third grade, suspension and expulsion should generally not be used, according to the code.
