when: Elizabethtown School Board meeting, May 28.
what happened: The board rejected a contract with Samaritan Center to provide mental health testing for Elizabethtown-area middle and high school students next fall semester. As an opt-in program, the testing would have been optional and would have cost the school district or participating families nothing. Seven of the eight board members in attendance voted against accepting the memorandum, with James Reed being the only one to vote in favor. Reed did not respond to a request for comment after the meeting.
background: Samaritan Center’s TeenHope Mental Health Program screens teenagers in Lancaster County middle and high schools for depression and suicide risk, identifying at-risk students before a crisis occurs. TeenHope works with parents and teens to refer at-risk students to mental health organizations and provide appropriate interventions when needed. The program is in 13 local schools, where approximately 26 percent of all students have been identified as at-risk for depression, anxiety or suicide.
Quote: “We have an issue with working with an organization that is unwilling to align with our beliefs when it comes to interpreting the law,” board member Daniel Lindemuth said. “… We have no issue with the thinking behind the mental health testing, but rather we have an issue with continuing to work with this particular organization that continues to ignore our input and make exceptions for our district.”
Parental and Student Rights: Asked for clarification by board member Kelly Carter, Lindemuth responded, “If a parent chooses to be tested, it is their decision to be tested or not. The law is clear that if a parent chooses to be tested, they have full access to the information. In Samaritan’s case, they would need the student’s permission, taking away parental rights already granted by law. I believe that an organization that is not willing to coordinate on our district’s behalf, despite our discussions with an attorney, is showing us disrespect. I would not want to consider continuing with this organization ideal.”
About the Samaritan Center: According to a mission statement on its website, the Lancaster-based Samaritan Center “fosters hope and healing through specialized counseling and education while respecting personal and spiritual values.”
Next steps: Because the contract was rejected, the district must temporarily halt mental health testing for middle and high school students until a replacement organization agrees to the contract. Currently, there are no other vendors scheduled to provide mental health testing to the district.
Inclusive play areas: The board unanimously approved district administrators to solicit bids for funding to build an inclusive playground. The playground at Bear Creek School will provide a safe, fun, recreational environment for students and community members of all abilities in Elizabethtown. The school board previously voted against funding the third phase, which called for a fully inclusive playground, including a sway glider with a ramp for children who use wheelchairs.
Public comments: While area residents expressed support for the third phase, the commission instructed them not to begin that phase unless the district gets better prices and bids to begin construction. As for the wheelchair ramp in question, commission members did not address it during the meeting. District spokesman Troy Porter did not respond to two phone messages left by a reporter after the meeting seeking information.
Other public comments: Citing mental health concerns, bullying and declining academic achievement, Elizabethtown resident Kim Klein expressed hope that the School Committee would review Policy 237, specifically banning students from using cellphones during class time.
Public Comment Policy: The board voted unanimously to update Policy 930 to expand the right of faculty and staff employed by the district to submit public comments to the board.
What’s next: The school board will hold a workshop meeting on Tuesday, followed by an action meeting on June 25 at 6 p.m. in the auditorium at Elizabethtown Area Middle School, 600 E. High St. A livestream of the meeting will be available on Zoom or on the district’s YouTube channel.
