Sex offender escorted from Bethlehem schools

BETHLEHEM — A paroled Level 3 sex offender was at both Bethlehem Middle and Slingerlands Elementary schools Friday, which is not allowed, school district parents were notified in a message from Superintendent Jody Monroe.

Monroe’s message said that according to Bethlehem police, the person, who is under the supervision of the state Department of Corrections and

Community Supervision, was found to be working for a licensed subcontractor in the construction area of the Middle School Library Media Center and had also worked in the basement construction area at Slingerlands during the morning.

The person was detained at the middle school at 11 a.m. by police and immediately transferred to the custody of state parole officers and escorted off school property, Monroe said in the message.

There is no indication the person had any physical or verbal contact with students at either school. Parole officers were first alerted to the sex offender’s presence by an ankle bracelet worn by the individual.

Proper screening protocols were not followed, allowing this security lapse to occur, the superintendent wrote. All contractors and subcontractors must submit to a screening

the district uses for all visitors.

Immediately following the person’s removal from the middle school, all remaining employees of the subcontractor were screened per district protocols, Monroe said.

“Today’s security lapse should not have happened. The safety and well-being of our students is the district’s top priority. We are investigating what led to this gap in our safety protocols,” Monroe wrote. The school facilities team is working with its construction manager to ensure this type of incident never occurs again, she said.