The Loyalsock Township School Board heard an urgent plea from a community member to remove signage around school grounds portraying the logo of an area business — a gun’s crosshair, during its monthly meeting.

“Less than one month ago, Loyalsock students and staff endured a traumatic lockdown. Last year, a man walked by this campus and made the shape of a gun with his hands, after which this board meeting was packed with parents who were indignant and calling for metal detectors, which is why I’m stunned to see the crosshair logo of a rifle sight in front of Schick elementary school on the Schick track and at the secondary sports field,” said resident Anna Thompson.

“Consider this: If a student printed out a crosshair or a rifle target and held it in front of one of their classmates’ faces or put it on their back, what would you do? I would hope and expect that this board would define that behavior as a terroristic threat,” she continued, going on to quote board policies outlining what is considered a threat and prohibitions around weapons and replicas of weapons on school grounds.

“Gun violence is not abstract. Guns are the No. 1 cause of death for children in America. School shootings are a real and immediate threat,” Thompson said, noting that gun-related suicide rates have increased by 40% among young people in the past 10 years.

“A teenager in Williamsport was shot recently; a teenager in Millville was murdered the previous week by a teenager. This school has had a threat that required lockdown less than a month ago,” she stressed.

“I want to be clear, I am not here to argue against legal gun ownership. I have nothing but respect for EuroOptic, their owners and their management, but my concern is the district’s decision to literally put a target on our children’s back and place gun imagery in front of every child every day, and contradict your own handbook and policies,” Thompson said.

“I recognize, very personally, that donor relationships can be complicated. That is exactly why this school district should adopt and follow a clear, legally-reviewed gift acceptance policy,” Thompson said.

“Such policies are best practice for nonprofits to protect their mission and those they serve. When creating a policy, please consider the source of that funding (and) that all logo and donor recognition is consistent with the values and policy of the school district,” she concluded.

In staffing matters, the board acknowledged the retirement of Superintendent Gerald McLaughlin and appointed assistant Superintendent Dr. Brooke Beiter as his successor; approved the transfer of Susanne Covert from a substitute to a part-time food service employee, effective Sept. 29, at an hourly rate of $15.75; a number of winter athletic personnel at varying stipends; and recognized the resignations of Matthew Little as a network specialist, Noah Green as staff accountant, Eric Wolfgang as school police officer and Connie Bickel as a food service employee; and the retirement of Andrew Magyar as a custodial employee, effective Oct. 24.