AKRON, Ohio — Some parents and teachers at Akron's I Promise School are expressing deep concerns after a so-called "death note" was found on school grounds.
The note, discovered sometime last week, contained a list of names of teachers and students who work at and attend the facility. In a note sent to staff and parents and shared with 3News by the Akron Education Association, Principal Stephanie Davis stated that the student who wrote the list was recreating a journal from a "popular anime series." According to Davis, it was intended as "a playful gesture among friends."
Davis also confirmed the student responsible for the letter has been identified, and after an investigation, officials found "no actual threat to our school community." She added that administrators "promptly implemented our district's nationally-recognized threat assessment process" and that "we take all security concerns seriously and investigate each one thoroughly."
"This incident presents an excellent opportunity to have a conversation with your children about responsible behavior and the potential consequences of actions, even those intended as jokes," Davis continued. "We encourage you to remind your children about the importance of reporting any suspicious activity to an adult promptly."
On Wednesday, 3News spoke with Samantha Byrd, an eighth grade parent who says she learned of the note online and not from Akron Public Schools. She believes parents have the right to know key information about their children's safety.
"'Well, what kid was on the list?' you know? I feel like a parent should know if their child was on a death note," Byrd said. "It's infuriating."
Members of the city's teachers union believe both the school and the district downplayed the severity of the situation. In a statement sent to 3News, AEA President Patricia Shipe claimed the list included the names of 30 students and 22 teachers listed as alleged targets, and that APS was slow to respond while I Promise "allowed the student who created this hit list to continue attending classes."
"We cannot allow such serious situations to be swept under the rug for the sake of public image," Shipe wrote. "The safety of our students and staff must always come first, and the AEA stands firmly against any attempts to downplay or ignore threats to our students, staff, and schools."
You can read Shipe's entire statement below:
"The Akron Education Association (AEA) is deeply troubled by the Akron Public School (APS) District's failure to appropriately address a grave safety incident at the I Promise School. Last week, a hit list titled 'death note' was discovered in a classroom identifying 22 teachers and 30 students as targets. Even after identifying the student who wrote the list, and despite the severity of this threat, the school administration allowed the student who created this hit list to continue attending classes. It is our belief that the building principal remained in administrative meetings at central office while assistant administrators ignored safety protocols, did not notify law enforcement, and did not notify the teachers or the families of students who were listed on this 'death note'.
"The district downplayed the situation from the outset, characterizing the student's actions as a 'playful gesture,' and failed to conduct a proper threat assessment in accordance with the Board’s own policies. The student responsible for the list continued attending classes, not even being removed from the building while the investigation proceeded. Furthermore, it was only after media inquiries that the district released a letter to staff and families, a full seven (7) days after the incident. This letter grossly misrepresented the facts, claiming that only 'some' staff and scholars were identified when, in reality, 52 names were listed. Moreover, it was only after these media inquiries, and a full week after the student was allowed to continue attending classes, that the administration finally suspended the student for ten (10) days.
"This incident, and the district's efforts to minimize its significance are not only reckless, but also represent a clear violation of the trust that staff and families place in APS leadership. The AEA has conducted its own investigation and uncovered numerous failures in protocol and communication. The district's initial handling and response to this serious safety incident appears to prioritize public relations over the safety of students and staff.
"While AEA and its educators are committed to seeking resources for any of our students who struggle with finding supports to address inappropriate behaviors, school violence is an all-too-frequent reality across the country, threats—whether perceived as jokes or not—must be taken seriously. The APS district's disregard for its own code of student behavior and the safety of those involved is unacceptable. The Akron Education Association demands immediate action to rectify the situation, including a full and transparent review of the incident and the district’s mishandling of it. We also urge the district to implement stronger safety protocols to ensure all employees are thoroughly trained and that the Administration actually follows the Board’s Threat Assessment and Intervention policy, including the formation of required threat assessment teams at each building. Hopefully these measures will ensure that all future threats are addressed promptly and properly, with clear and timely communication to staff and families.
"We cannot allow such serious situations to be swept under the rug for the sake of public image. The safety of our students and staff must always come first, and the AEA stands firmly against any attempts to downplay or ignore threats to our students, staff, and schools."
We later sat down with Shipe, who expanded on her criticisms of APS leadership.
"We believe that when a death hit list is put out with actual individual names of that building and no identifiable author of that, that is an imminent threat and that emergency action should be taken," Shipe explained. "Thank the Lord nothing came of it, but the response to this serious situation is just not acceptable."
Akron police told WKYC they are aware of the incident and are in communication with APS. On Wednesday, the district shared its own news release with 3News, asserting the "potential threat was swiftly addressed without derailing the district's educational mission" and that "Davis followed all safety protocols."
"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," the district said in criticism of the union. "APS vigorously protects scholars' privacy and educational records and expects our affiliated organizations to do the same."
Superintendent Dr. Michael Robinson released the following statement taking aim at the AEA:
"After continued evaluation of the situation, additional efforts were made - nothing was minimized or dismissed. This is why we have tiered systems of support - not only for our scholars but for our staff. Our responsibility is to cultivate our scholars' social emotional learning. Discipline involves teaching and, at times, issuing consequences.
"We all witnessed the recent event in Georgia (of a fatal school shooting) 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. 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. 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!
"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."
Acknowledgment: WKYC Studios has a partnership with the LeBron James Family Foundation in that we leverage our resources to provide opportunities for I Promise School students. For instance, we have worked closely with the rising eighth graders who participate in the school’s news team to produce the 3 Questions segments.