(Credit: Video screenshot)
Quakertown Community High School and Quakertown Elementary were placed on lockdown Friday afternoon after a canceled student walkout escalated into a confrontation involving students and police near Front and Juniper streets in the borough.
The Quakertown Community School District confirmed that a student-led walkout planned for Friday had been canceled before the school day began.
“After careful consideration, the student-led walk-out planned for today, Friday, February 20, has been canceled,” House Principal Dr. Jason Magditch wrote in a message emailed to students, staff and families. “While we respect students’ rights to express their views, our first priority is to ensure a safe and secure environment for all. At this time, we believe canceling the protest is the most appropriate course of action in the interest of student safety and well-being.”
Despite the cancellation, some students left campus Friday morning.
Missy Hartley, director of communications for the Quakertown Community School District, said the district worked with police as the situation unfolded.
“We are working with local law enforcement to make sure students are safe and return back to campus. We are working with local authorities to ensure students are safe,” Hartley said.
Hartley confirmed that although the school canceled the walkout, students still left campus.
“We sent a message prior to the school day starting that the student-led protest was canceled due to safety concerns that we have. We notified all the kids that this needs to be canceled and we will reconvene and want to focus on their voices being heard and that we want them to be safe. Yet, some of the students decided to walkout," she said.
She declined to confirm whether any students or officers were injured.
“Right now, we will communicate with Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lisa Hoffman and school administrators at the high school. This is all unfolding in real time,” Hartley said.
Around 1 p.m., both Quakertown Community High School and Quakertown Elementary were placed on lockdown. Parents were observed picking up students around 1:30 p.m.
Videos circulate showing physical confrontation
Multiple videos circulated Friday afternoon in local Facebook groups showing what appears to be a physical confrontation outside Sunday’s Deli at 44 Front St.
In one video, an older man dressed in casual clothing is seen in front of a marked police SUV grabbing a student around the neck area and taking them to the ground. In another portion of footage, the same individual is seen entering a police vehicle and later being attended to by EMS personnel.
The individual is believed to be Quakertown Borough Police Chief Scott McElree, though police have not officially confirmed his involvement.
Additional footage appears to show at least one student being detained and placed in the back of a police SUV.
Online posts in neighborhood Facebook groups alleged that students “jumped the ununiformed police chief,” while others claimed police tackled multiple students. Those claims have not been independently verified.
A representative at Quakertown Borough Police said, “There’s nobody that can talk right now,” and took contact information for Lt. Joshua Mallery.
As of publication, police have not confirmed whether any assaults occurred, whether arrests were made, or whether injuries were reported.
The planned walkout was reportedly connected to concerns about federal immigration enforcement activity, similar to recent student demonstrations in other districts.
District officials emphasized that student safety was the reason for canceling Friday’s event.
