A custody dispute led to a lockout at Schoharie schools Friday.
Superintendent Brian Sherman said a domestic dispute that was adjudicated in court earlier in the morning Friday spilled over to the school district when the custodial parent was returning her child to the school and was accosted by her ex-husband.
School officials called the police and the mother and child awaited the authorities in the school’s Main office, Mr. Sherman said, and the father was not permitted to enter the school buildings.
As a precautionary measure, the district was placed in a “lockout” condition to prevent the non-custodial parent from making any attempt to take the child or interfere with school operations, Mr. Sherman said.
Although not routine, a lock-out has occurred a number of times at SCS in the past under similar circumstances, he said.
The district, Mr. Sherman said, works very closely with the local authorities in these situations.
A lockout means that visitors are checked by staff before being permitted to enter the buildings. Students are not permitted to leave for lunch but may leave to go to work, attend other classes and outside activities such as recess and athletic activities, are not conducted.
The lockout was lifted at the end of the day, Mr. Sherman said. Information about the lock-out was posted on the district’s website throughout the day and notifications were sent out via the School News Notifier system for e-mails for those who had registered and by cell phone notifications.
A meeting was held with 11th and 12th grade students near the end of the day to provide them with additional information and to talk about how they can assist the administration and teaching staff with responsible use of cell phones in situations such as Friday’s, Mr. Sherman said.
Staff members had received an e-mail update earlier in the day which they were permitted to share with their students as appropriate, he said.