After assault at Heritage High School, Faraldi calls for superintendent's resignation

In a news release issued Thursday night and in a video on his public Facebook page, Faraldi said Edwards has been on vacation this week and hasn’t been in communication with the school board “regarding her whereabouts,” and also hasn’t provided “meaningful updates regarding the status of the student seriously injured in this situation.” Faraldi also alleges one of the division’s two deputy superintendents has “been away for the bulk of this week, meaning the top two posts at LCS are away on more ‘pressing matters.’”

In response, Edwards said she’s maintained contact with the school board, schools administration and community despite being out of town.

Faraldi said in his release, “It has come to my attention that amidst such a trying week, when those parents, students, and staff need her most, the Superintendent has been (and continues to be) missing in action, away on vacation.

“Not only has the Superintendent been on vacation but deemed this situation lacked the urgency to immediately engage, come home, and lead the school division,” he said.

At-Large Councilor Martin Misjuns has also called for a resignation from the superintendent’s office in light of the incident on his public Facebook page.

Meanwhile on Friday, E.C. Glass High School was evacuated and students and staff were dismissed early for a bomb threat, the division said. Lynchburg police, Liberty University police and Virginia State Police performed a search of the building after evacuation and determined the school to be safe, LPD said.

On Monday, LPD said via news release it was investigating an assault that had occurred between three male students, ages 15, 16 and 16 at Heritage High School at about 1 p.m. Police said one student was taken to the school nurse for first aid by LCS staff before being taken to Lynchburg General Hospital and then to Carilion Hospital in Roanoke for additional treatment due to the “serious nature” of the student’s injuries. Neither LPD nor LCS has issued any further details on the student’s current condition.

Edwards issued a statement about the incident to parents via email Tuesday afternoon.

“I want to emphasize that incidents of this nature are taken extremely seriously by Lynchburg City Schools. While I cannot delve into specific details regarding student disciplinary actions, I want to underscore that such behavior is unacceptable and will be met with the strictest consequences,” she said.

Edwards noted both the community and nation is witnessing a “troubling rise in aggressive behavior among our youth,” and encouraged parents and guardians to have conversations with their children about the consequences of their actions and to reinforce that violence is not an acceptable solution to conflicts. She also reiterated the division’s policy about student use of cellphones to record and share altercations on social media.

“Recording or sharing altercations, whether they are written, verbal, or physical, only serves to exacerbate the situation and may cause further harm to the students involved,” Edwards said.

Faraldi appeared on Lynchburg’s WLNI Friday morning, and was asked from whom he’d heard about a lack of communication. The vice mayor said he’d spoken with school board Chair Atul Gupta and received an email from board member Christian DePaul. He also said he’d heard about Edwards taking a week-long vacation in January with one weekday’s notice.

The vice mayor confirmed those statements for The News & Advance via text message Tuesday.

Reached by phone Friday and asked about Edwards, Gupta said he’s unable to comment on personnel matters of an active employee.

Gupta did say he walked through Heritage and E.C. Glass high schools on Tuesday “making sure everything was under control.” He added “quite a few” central office administrators and six Lynchburg police officers were also present at Heritage High School on Tuesday.

He said “whatever shortcomings [there] are, we [the school board] will do a thorough review of the situation.”

Gupta also said he’ll be praying for the student that was injured and that “now is time for healing.”

Edwards responded to requests for comment on Faraldi’s news release via an emailed statement Friday.

“Upon learning of the incident at Heritage High School on Monday, I immediately reached out to the family of the injured student that night to offer my support. I let her know that Principal Tim Beatty would meet her at the hospital,” Edwards said.

“I called the School Board Chair on Monday and sent the entire School Board a confidential update to inform them on the situation. Additionally, Mr. Beatty visited the family in the hospital and brought meals to them that evening.”

“Though I was out of town this week, Deputy Superintendent Amy Pugh, serving as my designee, worked closely with Heritage High School administration and staff to provide necessary support and resources to the school community. I remained in contact with Mrs. Pugh via phone.”

Edwards said she’s remained in “consistent communication” with LCS and Heritage High School administrators and provided the “entire school board with updates throughout the week.”

She thanked Pugh and Beatty for their support and said, “I had previously reminded the Lynchburg City School Board Chair and the entire school board on February 23 via my weekly update email process of my scheduled absence, something that I have continued to do throughout my tenure in Lynchburg.”