Absences double at Whispering Pines elementary school after parent banned

BOCA RATON — More than 135 students at Whispering Pines Elementary weren't in class Monday, Aug. 26, as concern spreads in the community regarding a parent who was banned from campus after making antisemitic comments to the school's front desk staff.

Attendance records show between 11% and 16% of students in each grade were absent Monday compared with the school's typical absentee rate of between 3% and 6%. The district does not track what reasons parents cited in keeping their children home.

But the near-tripling of the absence rate signals that fear is spreading through the Whispering Pines community about the man, who is a parent of a student at the school. Parents have circulated online posts by the man they say are antisemitic and threatening. He has not been arrested nor charged with a crime.

Principal Barbara Riemer alerted parents Friday, Aug. 23, that the campus would have an increased police presence following the man's comments and posts, which she called "deeply offensive." Subsequent messages from Riemer have detailed the school's security protocols and confirmed to parents that the man, who Riemer has not named, is banned from the campus.

But two parents, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for their children's safety, told The Palm Beach Post they weren't comfortable sending their children to school.

From Tuesday: Boca-area elementary school bans parent after threats to staff, antisemitic remarks

Whispering Pines is west of Lyons Road and just south of Clint Moore Road in unincorporated Palm Beach County west of Boca Raton. During the 2022-23 school year, it had 1,015 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

On Monday:

• 20 of the school's 157 kindergarteners were absent, compared with five on Thursday, Aug. 22.
• 20 of the school's 135 first graders were absent, compared with five on Aug. 22.
• 29 of the school's 179 second graders were absent, compared with five on Aug. 22.
• 18 of the school's 168 third graders were absent, compared with six on Aug. 22.
• 28 of the school's 188 fourth graders were absent, compared with 12 on Aug. 22.
• 22 of the school's 161 fifth graders were absent, compared with seven on Aug. 22.

The school district has declined to comment on the man's online posts or share how many calls it has received from concerned parents.

On Wednesday, the Jewish Federation of Southern Palm Beach County also declined to comment on the situation at Whispering Pines and the parent's comments on social media.

Boca Raton parent banned from school property after antisemitic comments online, in school front office

The man was issued a no-trespass order by Riemer on Aug. 17 after he came into the school's front office and made antisemitic comments and threats toward the school's staff, according to a letter from Riemer addressed to the man. His name was redacted from the letter to protect his child's privacy as a student at the school.

The documents did not provide a transcript of what he said when he came to the school's front office.

Riemer told parents on Monday, Aug. 26, that the man does not pose a specific threat to the campus.

Katherine Kokal is a journalist covering education at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at kkokal@pbpost.com . Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Absences double at Whispering Pines elementary school after parent banned