MUSD gives conflicting info on knife incident at local school

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Menifee Union School District officials issued conflicting reports regarding an incident involving a knife brought by a student into a second grade classroom at a local school on Wednesday.

The incident has not been reported to the general public, or even to the entire community at Callie Kirkpatrick Elementary School. The only notice sent Wednesday afternoon went out via email from principal Juliet Makapugay to parents of second graders.

That message described “an isolated incident in which a student brought a knife from home that was used to cause harm to another student.” The message went on to commend school staff for quickly “establishing safety procedures” and sending the school counselor into the classroom “to provide emotional support.” There was no mention of the actual “harm” inflicted on any student or the extent of injuries, if any.

“To respect student confidentiality, we are unable to share further details,” the email stated, which is a standard response by organizations in such situations. However, the response led concerned parents to contact Menifee 24/7 with complaints about the lack of communication, with one even referring to “a stabbing of a kid at recess.”

Contacted by Menifee 24/7 for clarification, MUSD Director of Communications Devina Ortega stated in an email that “the student did not require medical treatment.” Despite further media inquiries, Ortega declined to explain how a student who reportedly “was harmed” by a knife did not require medical treatment.

The email from the principal stated that the Menifee Police Department responded to the incident. Menifee PD information officer Chase Coburn told Menifee 24/7 that “Officers responded to reports of a possible assault with a weapon at Callie Kirkpatrick Elementary School. Upon further investigation, it was determined that no crime was committed. We will defer to the school district regarding their policies and procedures regarding discipline.”