NSB Addresses NFT's Claims of Threats, Violence

Neshaminy School Board President Ritchie Webb rebutted statements made by the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers Tuesday evening about threats and acts of violence toward its members.

Just hours before Tuesday's Neshaminy School Board meeting, the .

According to the union, NFT leaders advised union members to forgo attending the meeting amid concerns about numerous acts of violence against teachers, including an alleged death threat targeting a teacher that was posted on Facebook this past weekend.

In addition to the death threat, the NFT claimed that its members experienced numerous acts of violence including verbal threats, cars swerving at teachers on the picket line, and eggs and other items thrown from cars at picketing teachers, all of which the union said are being investigated by law enforcement officials.

NFT President Louise Boyd said in a press release that " the district has done nothing in response" to the threats and violence.

However, Webb said that the union's press release was "completely misleading" and that Boyd's statement that the district did nothing was "flat out wrong."

According to Webb, the union informed district Superintendent Louis Muenker of the death threat, told him that the appropriate law enforcement officials had been contacted and then asked Muenker to keep this information confidential.

Webb stated that Muenker took appropriate precautions and informed the school board of the incident, while honoring the union's request to keep the information confidential.

The school board believes that anyone making a threat "should be dealt with by the law" and that "threats of violence can never be tolerated," Webb said.

He added that while the board shares the NFT's concerns for everyone’s safety, the board cannot tolerate "inaccurate spin on a situation that is already volatile."

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our newsletter