Moscow School District: We must maintain normalcy

Moscow School District Superintendent Greg Bailey sent an email to parents throughout the district Monday confirming police officers would be following a Moscow man who has been accused of making a threat on social media to “shoot up” two Moscow schools Wednesday.

26-year-old Michael Mastro, who allegedly made the threat March 29 specific to April 18, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Latah County 2nd District Court to a misdemeanor charge of threatening violence upon school grounds. Mastro had earlier posted a message on Facebook apologizing for his actions.

Moscow Police Chief James Fry said last week there would be an increased police presence at all of MSD’s schools through the end of the week.

In his email, Bailey noted some parents have expressed their intentions to be on school grounds Wednesday in the event an attack is carried out. While their intentions are in good faith and are meant to show support for the schools, he wrote, it makes the jobs of staff and law enforcement more difficult.

“We ask that anyone considering such actions reconsider,” he wrote. “Having many additional adults makes it harder for our staff and the MPD to identify any unwanted guests. Having such a display by adults will also heighten the fears of our students, which is counter to our goal of trying to make the day as normal as possible.”

Maintaining normalcy is one of the most significant issues the schools are facing, but it is essential to creating an environment conducive to learning, Bailey told the Daily News on Monday.

Bailey said parents have the right to keep their children home from school if they disagree with his decision to keep schools in session. Students are allotted nine absences per semester, and parents may

use those absences at their

discretion, Bailey said.

He said all the district’s schools will remain open, and his hope is students attend school Wednesday.

“Every day is a valuable day to help educate our students,” he said.

Moscow High School Principal Erik Perryman said staff has made an effort to connect with more students and ask them how they are doing since the threat was made.

“If someone is having a hard time, they need to be put in contact with someone who can help,” he said, adding this not only applies with concerns regarding the threat but also trouble students may be having at home or with friends.

“Ideally, we want to make coming (to school) not a fearful thing,” Perryman said.

Moscow Junior High School Principal Kevin Hill said his school has made an effort to greet students when they arrive in the morning and to increase staff presence in the hallways.

“The No. 1 way to prevent an incident is for someone to be watching,” Hill said.

He said his daughter will be attending school Wednesday, and he hopes to make the day as normal as possible.

“The two most important things we have to guarantee to all students is the opportunity to learn and a safe environment to go to school,” Hill said

He said the district has made an effort to answer any and all questions from both students and parents.

Katie Short can be reached at (208) 883-4633, or by email to kshort@dnews.com.