ANGELO LYNN

In Marin Howell’s two-part series looking at how Vermont schools continue to educate youths accused of violent crimes there are two quick takeaways: First, these are rare instances that seldom involve local schools, and second, there are ample precautions taken within the education and mental health communities to ensure student safety. 

That said, here’s a third takeaway: When a local school is involved, the public has a right to be concerned, should be notified and, brought up to speed as soon as possible on how the school will address the challenges ahead.

This third point can be problematic if a school’s first concern is protecting the identity of the student involved, which was the case at Starksboro Central School when a student entered that school mid-semester after a criminal incident involving a fatality, a case still pending in the courts. Without a doubt this was and is a challenging case that has, thankfully, little local precedent. To that end, schools and the broader community can learn from the experience.

We understand the sentiment of mental health and school officials who wish to keep the identify of any student in such circumstances under cover. If the identify can be withheld, the thinking goes, the student is able to continue with their education without fear of retribution, or bullying, or any of the other negative forces that might come into play.

What’s missing in that judgment is the broader community’s right to know, and the realization that very little is kept under wraps for very long in small schools and small towns — and that’s not a bad trait. 

As it has played out, concerned parents of students in the school have pressed the school board for assurances of student safety and of an explanation of the school district’s considerations. Those explanations and assurances from school officials were articulate, reasonable and ethical. Meanwhile, parents and families of students in that school are aware of the situation and can act in good faith throughout the year ahead.

In the end, the communities involved are more aware of the training teachers and school leaders receive on how to manage difficult situations such as confronted by the Starksboro school, parents are more understanding of the rights of the accused, and school and mental health officials should be more comfortable being upfront with communities knowing that acceptance of their plan is more likely if they are. 

All this yields a fourth takeaway: Secrecy rarely holds a candle to truth. It does require trusting the community to handle the truth in a reasonable manner, but that seems far better than hiding information in the hope ignorance is the better path.

Angelo Lynn