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METALINE FALLS – The Selkirk School District is reaching out to parents to elaborate on an issue that happened at the high school Tuesday, Oct. 14. According to superintendent Nancy Lotze, during 6th period Selkirk High School went into a brief “secure and teach” mode to provide privacy while law enforcement, at the request of Pend Oreille County mental health professionals, picked up a student under an involuntary commitment order.
“Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation with some parents concerned there was no notification of a threat,” Lotze said. “I would like to be clear, the school district did not contact the sheriff’s department because of a specific threat to the school.”
Secure and teach is not a lock-down. Lotze said it is a tool the district uses when students should stay in classrooms and teachers continue to teach.
“In this case it was used to give the student privacy as law enforcement arrived,” Lotze said.
“The student’s parent was informed in advance. Law enforcement was requested by POC Counseling for transportation only, as required by law in these types of transfers.”
A dispatch report circulating on social media the morning of Oct. 1, “seemed to have mischaracterized the event and was understandably interpreted by community members as law enforcement involvement regarding a threat,” Lotze said. “The district is working with the sheriff’s department to correct that.”
Because of the student’s age and the medical nature of the situation, no further details can be shared.
“Please know that if there had been any credible threat to student or staff safety, families would have been notified immediately through our text and email system,” Lotze said. “We appreciate those who have reached out to get more information from the school.”
To contact the Selkirk School District, call 509446-2951.
