Student Stabbing Suspect Made Previous Threats
EVERETT, Wash. — Federal privacy laws prevented Snohomish High School officials from sharing information about a student who underwent counseling for threatening to kill another student’s boyfriend. Last Monday, the 15-year-old attacked two schoolmates with a knife.
Some parents were surprised to learn of the earlier threats, which were only made public because they were contained in court documents charging the girl with first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault, The Seattle Times reports. The district said it cannot discuss whether counselors or teachers were made aware of the earlier threats because of privacy laws.
Schools cannot disclose information about a student’s educational needs, health issues, behavioral problems or even, with a few exceptions, most criminal convictions, according to Nathan Olson, a spokesman for the state’s superintendent of public instruction. On the other hand, schools are also federally mandated to provide a safe environment for the entire student body.
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