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An investigation is ongoing into a serious threat made against a teacher at Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School. Denise Stillitano, an English teacher at the school, reported that a 12-year-old male student submitted a written threat stating he intended to kill her. The threat was accompanied by hand-drawn images of a torture center and a shooting range.
Stillitano, 43, has not returned to work since the incident on November 15. She publicly addressed the threat during a school board meeting, expressing her fear for her life and urging the board to take the threat seriously. According to Syracuse.com, Stillitano stated, "A current student of mine 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 not kill anyone but me."
The student, who is the son of a district administrator, had previously threatened another staff member when he was 11. Stillitano expressed concern that the student might receive preferential treatment due to his family's connection to the district. She has filed a police report, a workplace violence complaint, and a complaint under the Dignity for All Students Act.
The DeWitt Police Department confirmed that there is no current threat or danger to the public, as this was an isolated incident involving the student and the teacher. The student no longer has access to firearms, which were voluntarily surrendered by the father when police visited the home. The district is handling the situation through their safety and Code of Conduct protocols. The Jamesville-DeWitt School District released a statement assuring that they are actively handling the situation and are committed to maintaining a safe, supportive environment for all students and staff.