Pennsbury High School Students Stage Walkout To Protest Policy

FALLSINGTON, PA —Pennsbury High School students staged a walkout Thursday in what school officials said was a protest of the restroom restrictions made in the wake of bathroom fights and vandalism.

In a letter to high school families, Schools Superintendent Thomas A. Smith said that the high school students organized a walkout in protest of the recent restrictions imposed to monitor restroom access and limit the number of students in the hallway during class time.

The policies were put in place following a fight that led to police being called to Pennsbury High School West and a wave of bathroom vandalism. The district instituted policies calling for increased visibility among administration around bathrooms, limited restroom access for students, and bathroom sign-in procedures.

"As a district, we recognize and support the rights of our students to peacefully assemble, and students who participated appropriately will not be disciplined," Smith said.

A group of students assembled in an outdoor space on the PHS School campus for about 10
minutes and returned to their classes without incident.

In addition to the Pennsbury administrative and security staff, the Falls Township Police were on-site to provide an added level of safety, the superintendent said.

"We are committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for our students and staff," he said. "This commitment includes our efforts to monitor restroom access and limit students in the hallway during class time."

With regard to the most recent altercations, Smith said that school investigations indicate they were the result of issues that began outside of school. The locations and times of the altercations were planned between those involved and were shared with many students.

Students involved in these situations were disciplined in accordance with Pennsbury's Student Code of Conduct.

"We share this to address concerns raised by a few parents that uninvolved students may be worried about general hallway safety," the letter said.

High School Principal Reggie Meadows is expected to hold meetings with all students over the next several days.

During the meetings, the principal will emphasize that physical violence is not acceptable under any circumstances. "Students involved in behavior like this will be disciplined, and the police alerted along with possible charges," the letter states.

The letter was also signed by Smith, Theresa Ricci, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and Meadows.