Parents upset news of Friday morning’s incident wasn’t relayed to them
Parents are asking why they or the township police weren’t informed Friday of a man making threatening gestures with a knife while following a school bus on the morning commute to Amsterdam School, which teaches kindergartners to fourth graders, on Amsterdam Drive.
The parents sent an open letter Monday asking Superintendent Dr. Jorden Schiff and the township Board of Education for information.
In response, the school administration sent an instant alert message to Amsterdam School parents on Monday at 12:42 p.m. It said the police were investigating the incident, in which a man in his 30s or 40s in a black SUV was making a “waving motion” with a knife to children on the bus.
The parents’ letter says the bus was followed by a man “who allegedly brandished a knife while making menacing and violent gestures at the children.”
”This incident alone is extremely alarming,” says the letter. “Even more worrisome was the lack of adequate response from the Amsterdam School administration.”
The letter says children reported the incident to the school’s main office, yet “at no point” were either parents or the police made aware of this incident.
According to Eric Tanalski, a parent of a child on the bus, parents contacted the police department two days later to inquire about the status of the investigation.
”We were shocked to discover that they had not yet been notified about this incident,” the letter said.
Business Administrator Aiman Mahmoud said Monday afternoon that the administration was “looking at the processes and procedures of why the incident was failed to be reported to the building principal or the superintendent.”
Mr. Mahmoud said Dr. Mullady notified Dr. Schiff about the incident for the first time on Sunday afternoon. Dr. Schiff contacted the police, which initiated the investigation, Mr. Mahmoud said.
Monday’s Instant Alert urged parents to be vigilant and to report suspicious behavior to the police. Police Chief Paul Kaminsky said Monday afternoon the department is actively investigating and had several patrol units at many of the schools’ bus stops and pick up routes this morning. They will continue, he said.
The letter refers to a Dec. 17 speech, for instance, where Dr. Schiff “touted the administration’s close ties with local police and the county prosecutor’s office as a pathway to securing schools,” the letter said.
The letter also quotes a Dec. 15 email from Amsterdam School Principal Dr. Mary Ann Mullady as saying, “Our school continues to be vigilant in school safety and security measures. I am committed to ensuring the safety of our students…”
The letter said, “Whether through a lack of fortitude to follow through on their commitments or through gross incompetence, this school’s administration failed to respond adequately (or at all) to a clear threat to student security.”
The parents said they want the Board of Education to have a public discussion around this failure to act. The parents said the want to know why police weren’t notified immediately, and why the school didn’t respond through any of its media, like Instant Alerts.
They want to know what changes will be made “to ensure this scenario is never repeated.”

