‘He would kill me, hunt me’: J-D teacher goes public with concerns after a student threat

JAMESVILLE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School teacher made her voice heard at a Board of Education meeting earlier this week after a written and illustrated threat was turned in to her.

Teacher Denise Stillitano made her concerns about returning to work public at the Nov. 18 meeting.

She explained that a 12-year-old student of hers “submitted a direct threat to me in writing, which I take very seriously. In this writing, he stated that he would kill me, hunt me, and don’t kill anyone but me.”

The threat also included hand-drawn pictures of a torture center, a hanging plot, and a shooting range.

“Furthermore, this is not the first instance in which the student has threatened a staff member,” claimed Stillitano.

According to DeWitt Police, the report on this incident came in around 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, three days before the meeting.

District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick confirmed to NewsChannel 9 that the father of the student turned over the guns last week when police visited the home, adding that the father has been cooperative.

“With the full cooperation of the student’s family, the DeWitt Police Department investigated
and confirmed that the student does not have access to firearms,” said DeWitt Police.

But Stillitano continued to express her discontent, and the possibility of a biased outcome from the situation.

“I understand that there will be an upcoming superintendent’s hearing regarding this incident this week. And while I have full confidence in the process as it has been outlined by the district, I am troubled by the potential for bias for preferential treatment due to the family’s connection to the district,” she said.

Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District came forward with their statement.

“We want to assure you that the district is actively handling this situation. The Board of Education, administrators, and building leaders are taking it seriously and will follow safety and Code of Conduct protocols to ensure the continued safety of all students and staff. We understand that news like this is unsettling, and we are committed to maintaining a safe, supportive environment for all students and staff,” the district wrote in part.

However, due to the protections of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and New York Education Law Section 2-d the district is unable to share further details regarding the student involved in this incident.

J-D Superintendent Peter Smith gave the following statement to NewsChannel 9 regarding the situation:

The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District follows protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and New York Education Law Section 2-d, and we cannot provide information about the student involved in the current incident you are asking about. Please refer to this letter which was sent to the J-D community on Tuesday for more information.

The Board of Education, administrators, and building leaders take safety and security concerns seriously and will follow protocols such as the District Safety Plan and the Code of Conduct to ensure the wellbeing of all students and staff. We have a number of resources in place to support students’ social, emotional, and mental health as well.

We strive to make our schools places where everyone feels welcome, safe, and affirmed. We encourage any member of the community to reach out to their building leader or district administrators when they have concerns so that they can be addressed. 

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