ERIE — No time was given for public comment during Monday’s Erie-Galesburg Public Schools Board of Education meeting, as concerned parents and students filled the board office. They were hoping to express their safety concerns to the board following an incident that occurred Sept. 29 at Erie High School.
On Sept. 29, Superintendent Scott Palser released a statement via the district’s Facebook page, stating: “At USD 101 the safety and security of our students is our number one priority. Today students reported a potential threat to EHS administration and, in cooperation with the Erie Police Department, the situation was taken care of. At no point was there an active threat to our students or staff and lockdown procedures were never initiated. We are extremely grateful for our partnerships with law enforcement to help us through these difficult situations.”
A group of parents and students believe that there was a credible threat, and they say they are left feeling unsafe due to Principal Robert Schneeberger’s actions that day.
Students Taeleigh Shultz and Grace Brown said they were witnesses to concerning behavior from another student.
This student, allegedly, on different days spoke about a countdown, at first, Shultz said hearing about a countdown didn’t worry them because they assumed it had to do with this student’s birthday.
Shultz said this student later approached her in the cafeteria.
“He came up to our lunch table and said ‘four more hours until my master plan,’” Shultz said.
After this statement, Shultz alleged the student made gunlike motions with his hands toward her and other other students.
“He told us to wear certain colors so we weren’t on his hit list,” Shultz said. “Then we went to go tell Mr. Schneeberger, and we got called down to his office, I think there were seven of us.”
Brown also reported an encounter with the same student to Schneeberger, and was called down with the group.
Brown said she reported that a peer hid behind her in the hallway, this peer allegedly claimed that this student was trying to kill her, and that he was going to “shoot up the school.” Brown said when she went to report this incident, Schneeberger had already been informed of the issue.
“When I went and told him, he told me I was being dramatic,” Brown said.
Brown alleged that Schneeberger asked if Brown had provoked the student. Brown said Schneeberger also made a joke about school shootings.
“I’m terrified, because who jokes about shooting up the school with a student? That’s unprofessional.” Brown said “I even told him that was unprofessional and he just rolled his eyes about it.”
Brown said that despite both teachers and students reporting concerning behavior, members of law enforcement were not contacted until much later in the school day.
“And then while we were writing our statements, instead of the school standing up and calling our parents and telling them that we wrote statements, they just posted on Facebook that there was a minor inconvenience.”
On Sept. 30, a group of parents and students met with Schneeberger to discuss how this situation was handled. Unsatisfied with the conversation, parents crafted a letter to the Chanute Tribune, which reads: “We are writing to bring to light a grave failure in student safety that has shaken the Erie community. At Erie High School, credible shooting threats were reported by students — including a ‘countdown,’ a so-called ‘master plan,’ and verbal statements about killing classmates. Yet the response under Principal Schneeberger failed to protect students and instead heightened their risk.
The facts speak for themselves: — No lockdown was called. — The student making threats was not isolated and continued to taunt classmates.
— Students who bravely reported the threats were mocked as ‘dramatic,’ leaving them in tears.
— Parents were never directly notified — instead, the only communication was a vague Facebook post.
— Principal Schneeberger admitted that the school has not practiced ALICE active-shooter protocols in years and acknowledged complacency in safety preparation.
This represents more than poor judgment — it is a betrayal of trust and a violation of the duty to protect our children.” The letter also included information for the Oct. 6 board meeting. It ends: “Parents are calling for principal Schneeberger’s resignation and for urgent changes to restore safety and confidence in the school system. We urge The Chanute Tribune to cover this story and help shine a light on what has happened — and what must happen next.
Sincerely, Lucas and Lori Hendrickson, Jack Kennedy and Christine Tovar, Coy Chism, Kiah Gawel, Montee Kernell. On behalf of concerned parents and families of Erie High.”
In a letter sent to Palser and the Board of Education they wrote: “Principal Schneeberger has shown a catastrophic lapse in judgment, stating he has become complacent and made poor judgement in this situation, that ‘’this is a small community” with an it won’t happen here attitude, and clearly displaying a disregard for trauma-informed leadership. He has lost the trust of students, parents, and this community. The cost of allowing Mr. Schneeberger the time to recover this trust would be at the expense of the safety of our children. For the safety of our children and the integrity of this district, we are calling for his immediate resignation. Additionally, we demand: — A public apology to the students who were made to feel re-victimized and shamed for making this report. — An independent investigation into this incident and administrative conduct.
— Mandatory retraining of all staff within 30 days. — A written guarantee that the suspect will not return to Erie High in any capacity. — A formal, transparent parent notification protocol for all future threats.
— Anti-retaliation protections for the students who reported. The failure here was not just procedural — it was moral. The principal’s inaction and dismissal of our children’s concerns endangered lives. To restore even a shred of trust, the district must act decisively. The students of Erie High deserve leadership that prioritizes their safety without hesitation. Principal Schneeberger must resign.” They also wrote that the student who was reported was given a 10-day suspension, and may possibly transfer schools or move to virtual learning. This letter also noted several safety concerns, such as: propped doors that are left open at night, unlocked locker rooms, inadequate event staffing and students with keys to get into the school anytime in the evening when no teachers or administrators are present.
No response from administration was received prior to the Oct. 6 meeting, where no public comments were heard.
“I’m ticked off. I feel like we’re just sitting in there, laughing and joking, when we’ve got some serious issues going on,” Lori Hendrickson said while waiting during an hour-long executive session.
Hendrickson said her children no longer feel safe attending school. Of her daughter, she said: “She has to mentally prepare herself to go to school. She’s asked to be homeschooled.”
After not getting the chance to speak during the meeting, several parents spoke to Palser and other board members individually to express their frustration and concerns. Palser and Board of Education President Brad DeMeritt encouraged parents to sign up ahead of time to be added to the agenda.
On Oct. 7, a Facebook page was created by parents, called Erie High School Parents for Accountability. On that day, Palser released this statement to district parents: “Dear Parents and Guardians, I am writing to inform you that Erie High School Principal Mr. Robert Schneeberger will be away from Erie High School for a period of time. During this time, the district is ensuring that all school operations, activities, and support for students continue without interruption.”
Palser said that all concerns should be directed to his office. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to maintain a stable and supportive learning environment for all students,” Palser wrote.
Parents and students are still waiting on additional action to be taken, and the story continues to spread. Last night, community members met with KSNF/KODE Joplin, as of press time, information shared during this meeting was not yet available.
This story is still developing, and any updates will be included in a future edition of the Chanute Tribune.
