News

Manheim Township School Board Statement Regarding Third-Party Independent Reviews Conducted

April-September 2025

November 13, 2025

Dear MTSD Community,

The Manheim Township School District Athletic Program Philosophy, as outlined in our Student-Athlete and Parent/Guardian Handbook, is a framework under which our athletic programs are expected to compete. It provides details on our core beliefs around athletics, standards of conduct, and expectations that we as a school district have for our teams.

Earlier this year, troubling conduct that did not meet the expectations that we have for our student-athletes came to light. In turn, the School Board contracted with two law firms to conduct independent reviews of, 1: processes, procedures, and policies guiding the School District’s response to the conduct, and; 2: the culture and practices of the District’s athletic programs, with a focus on boys’ lacrosse.

These firms were hired after the Board learned in February 2025 of a reported incident involving members of the boy’s lacrosse team during an out-of-state field trip in April 2024.

To start, let us be clear: the reported behavior is deeply inappropriate, harmful, and unacceptable. It is not representative of the values of our school district.

Below is a summary of the facts surrounding the reported incident and the response:

• April 2024 – The reported incident occurred during an overnight field trip.
• May 2024 – An anonymous Safe2Say report was received. The High School interim leadership and Assistant Superintendent contacted the Manheim Township Police Department, initiated an investigation, notified the district’s Title IX Coordinator, and identified and contacted the reported victim and their family.
• May-August 2024 – A Title IX investigation was conducted which included interviewing approximately 45 individuals.
• September 2024 – The Title IX investigation findings were shared with district personnel responsible for student discipline.
• October 4, 2024 – The complainant’s family raised questions about Childline reporting with the district administration.
• January 2025 – Local media contacted the district administration.
• February 16, 2025 – Local media published an article about the incident.
• February 21, 2025 – The district filed a Childline report.

These reviews identified the following:

• The interim district and building administration responded immediately to the Safe2Say report, involved law enforcement and launched a Title IX investigation.
• Launching a Title IX investigation was the correct response to this type of situation.
• Correct Title IX procedures were utilized, however, inconsistent cooperation on the part of the students interviewed hindered the work of the administration and impacted the conclusions that could be drawn.

The following opportunities for improvement were identified:

• There were training gaps present for coaches, staff, and students.
• The Childline training used by most Pennsylvania school districts does not provide adequate information, guidance and support around the type of incident that occurred.
• The School Board was not informed about the incident or investigation until the newspaper article was published.
• Students and families involved with the investigation did not provide details that could substantiate the allegations.
• A Childline report was not filed until February 21, 2025.
• Because Title IX investigations are complex and involved, they require experienced investigators, close supervision or external consultation. All three components could have been strengthened in this case.
• Student discipline should have been implemented sooner and more broadly to reflect the serious nature of the incident that occurred in April 2024.

The following recommendations were made to the Board and District:

• Provide newly designed training for all mandatory reporters, with specific focus on child-on-child abuse, hazing, bullying, and harassment.
• Review and update Title IX processes, ensuring timely communication, discipline, and School Board awareness with additional training and guidance for involved staff.
• Improve communication, protocols, and procedures across athletic programs.
• Provide additional training to support coaches, volunteers, student-athletes and families.

We acknowledge the harm this incident has caused our students, staff, families, and community. We are committed to learning from this experience and taking actions to ensure all students are physically and emotionally safe.

To that end, our Athletic Director, HS Administrators and the Assistant Superintendent partnered with the Board and our new Superintendent to rapidly implement new procedures including:

• New protocols for handling Safe2Say reports.
• Revised overnight trip planning, which now includes student services.
• New pre-season training for students, parents and coaches for all sports.

The district is now in the process of:

• Reviewing policies and handbooks with legal counsel.
• Scheduling new mandated reporter (Childline) and Title IX training and refreshers.
• Strengthening the athletic handbook and parent communications.

We encourage anyone with concerns or reports of harassment, bullying, or misconduct to use the Safe2Say system or file a Title IX complaint through our established procedures, available on our district website.

We remain focused on restoring trust, strengthening culture, and creating safe and respectful environments for all students. Thank you for your continued support and engagement as we move forward.

Sincerely,

Manheim Township School Board