The Covenant School delayed the return of students and faculty to its Burton Hills campus until April 15 in a letter sent to parents that was published by Nashville media on Monday. Though not referenced in the letter, the delay follows the November publication of three leaked pages from the manifesto written by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale, which were cited in an ongoing lawsuit seeking to compel the release of Hale’s full manifesto.
In the letter Covenant School officials sent to parents, reported by NewsChannel 5, officials cited concerns over safety and security, learning disruption, and teacher and student readiness. They also cited a desire to reopen the campus after the March 27 anniversary of the Covenant School shooting, during which Hale, a biological female who identified as a transgender male, fatally shot three 9-year-old students and three faculty.
Covenant School officials explained explained that new security features and procedures are currently being installed and implemented, and the delay will also provide “students and especially faculty” with “the opportunity to navigate” the March 27 anniversary “more smoothly.” The letter indicated that faculty and students will spend time at the campus before the formal return of students.
Officials previously announced that students, who have been attending classes at the Brentwood Hills Church of Christ since April, would return in January.
The delay in the school’s return to its Burton Hills campus came following the publication of three pages from Hale’s manifesto by conservative comedian and commentator Steven Crowder, who revealed that a Nashville law enforcement source provided them. An investigation seeking to determine the source of the leak concluded last week, with Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) unable to publicly identify a suspect.
Star News Digital Media Inc., the parent company of The Tennessee Star, is the plaintiff in lawsuits seeking to compel the MNPD and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to release Hale’s full manifesto to the public.
After Crowder published three pages from the manifesto, Star News Digital Media Inc. filed a motion for limited discovery to compel the FBI to publicly confirm the pages are legitimate. Though MNPD acknowledged the authenticity of the pages, the FBI has not, and previously claimed that releasing even one page of Hale’s manifesto could compromise ongoing investigations due to the individuals Hale named. The only individual named within the three pages released by Crowder appears to be Hale’s grandmother.
Last month, the Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a group of Covenant School parents who are seeking to intervene in the lawsuit to prevent the manifesto’s release. Michael Patrick Leahy, the Editor-in-Chief of The Star, stated that the company is reviewing possible opportunities to appeal the decision.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “The Covenant Presbyterian School” by The Covenant Presbyterian School.
