After Joppatowne shooting, a delegate wants to change how schools are informed of students’ criminal charges

https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/09/26/joppatowne-student-criminal-charges-mike-griffith/

In the wake of several high-profile crimes related to Harford County schools, including a fatal shooting at Joppatowne High School this month, officials are navigating — and proposing changes to — the way police and schools can legally communicate with each other about student victims and offenders.

Current state law prohibits police from informing schools about students charged with certain crimes that do not fall under the classification of “reportable offenses.” These offenses range from violent crimes to firearm infractions, vehicle charges and more.

State Del. Mike Griffith, a Republican who represents parts of Harford and Cecil counties, has drafted legislation that aims to expand upon the current list of reportable offenses and allow law enforcement to inform schools of students who are suspected of felony offenses.

Griffith said the legislation would add fourth-degree sex offenses, child pornography offenses, visual surveillance with prurient-intent offenses, threats of mass violence, revenge pornography and stalking to the list of reportable offenses.

“This is to make sure that the superintendent knows they have a student charged with or suspected of a felony or these crimes in their school system. This holds them accountable to act appropriately with the information,” Griffith said.

Following the shooting in a bathroom at Joppatowne High that killed a 15-year-old, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said the suspected shooter had a history with law enforcement, but the teen’s record was not publicly available.

Months prior, an MS-13 gang member and immigrant who lacked permanent legal status pleaded guilty to the murder of a 20-year-old woman. He attended Edgewood High School at the same time he was under investigation for the murder.

Parents and local leaders questioned why the school system was not made aware of these students’ backgrounds. Gahler said the answer is simple — state law prohibits law enforcement from releasing information regarding certain charges against minors.

“People want to know who it is that might be a threat to their child,” Gahler said. “It is frustrating that we can’t tell them.”

If Griffith’s legislation were in effect at the time the gang member enrolled in Harford schools, for instance, school officials could have had the opportunity to enroll him into alternative education and remove him from the general student population, the delegate noted.

Harford schools’ manager of communications, Jillian Lader, has said in regard to the Joppatowne High shooting that removal to an alternative school is only lawful if the student’s charges have a direct connection to the school and pose a risk of danger or disruption.

Harford Board of Education President Aaron Poynton said he supports Griffith’s bill, as it would give school officials the ability to make informed decisions.

“It is my opinion that if you are a suspect of a felony, that we are informed because we have other options to educate you — such as virtual — which removes you as a potentially dangerous person from the general student population,” Poynton said.

Poynton explained that Harford schools take state law seriously and that student safety has remained the top priority of all staff.

He cited a recent incident at Aberdeen Middle School during which the former principal and a paraeducator were criminally charged for allegedly failing to report a rape as being an uncommon situation for school staff.

“When stuff like this happens, it is an extreme exception because our educators know the law and have been trained on it, so they follow the law,” Poynton said. “This was a unique case — not a systemic problem of Harford County Public Schools because reporting offenses is not just critically important, it is the law.”

State law obligates educators and school staff to report crimes and suspected incidents to law enforcement.

Lynne Shepard, the mother of a Harford student, said she is grateful for mandatory reporting.

“If they had not contacted me, I would not have been able to get my child the help they needed,” Shepherd said. “Children cannot comprehend the lifelong damage this will do to a person, and it is the responsibility of the adults to help them heal.”

At a Board of Education meeting Monday, Poynton said he wants to set up a meeting with school board members, Harford school administrators, the sheriff and police chiefs from all three municipalities to discuss the most efficient way to communicate and file reports to each other. A date for the meeting has yet to be determined.

Griffith’s bill, which does not impact mandatory reporting required by educators, will be filed in the coming months, he said.

“I do not think any of this bill is unreasonable or partisan. I think every parent across every political affiliation and background would agree that at the very least, the superintendent should be made aware of the students that fall under these offenses,” Griffith said.