Bristol Township Schools - Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission officials said they will release specific recommendations next month to the Bristol Township School District to help calm racial tensions.
Commission officials met Monday in Harrisburg to discuss their findings in the investigation of the district for racial tension last fall.
The commission held a public town hall-style meeting in Bristol Township in March to gauge racial tensions. Commission officials also have been talking with students and school officials and studying the district's test scores along racial lines.
Commission officials said they won't discuss the recommendations until next month because they're still gathering information.
"We hope and assume that the recommendations will be embraced by the [school district] administration and the community," Stephen A. Glassman, chairman of the commission, said.
The commission decided to investigate the school district after the school board president and township police chief ordered police dogs into Harry S Truman High School to quell a rumored race riot.
The riot never materialized. The rumors of violence had proliferated after small groups of students wore racially charged symbols on their clothing.
Said Glassman: "This is not a problem that only exists in Bristol Township. Racial tension is profoundly evident across the commonwealth."
Bristol Township school board President Jamie Kravcak said he will welcome the commission's recommendations.
In March, Kravcak apologized for sending police dogs into Truman when he spoke at the commission's town hall-style meeting.
"I think it's great that the commission along with John Jordan of the NAACP (Bucks branch) have been there to help us continue to make Bristol Township the best community we can make it," Kravcak said.
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