Archive: News

middleschoolthumb120.pngLast Friday Lansing School Superintendent Stephen Grimm sent a letter to the parents of all district students.  "On Wednesday, September 17, a middle school student reported to the principal that on Friday afternoon, September 12, an "older man" in a silver four-door sedan with New York plates, asked a boy and a girl from the middle school if they wanted a ride home instead of walking in the rain," he wrote.  "The pair declined and did not report it at the time.  The reporting student also indicated that the same man and car was driving slowly near students after school on Monday, September 15.  He is described as 'average size, salt and pepper hair, no glasses, wrinkles in face.'"

As soon as students reported the incident school officials jumped into action.  The Sheriff was brought in, and Middle School Principal Jamie Thomas made an announcement to put all his students and faculty on alert.  "As difficult as it can be for students to hear an announcement about this, I think it's critical to let everyone know," Thomas  says.  "We don't know whether this is a problem, we don't know whether this person is being inappropriate or not, but we're going to be safe.  We're going to make sure that we don't take any chances."

Grimm says that getting the word out to students that fast prompted others to report similar incidents.  One was from a girl who was similarly approached at the high school Saturday.  "These two incidents are the ones we're sure of," Thomas says.  "There have been some rumors and speculation, but nothing other than these two that we're sure of."


"I'm very pleased with the students that initially refused the prompting to get a ride during a rainstorm," Grimm told the Lansing Board Of Education at their meeting Monday.  "And also for their courage to be able to report those types of incidents  and look at that as suspicious behavior.  It shows a very impressive maturity level of the students, and of the follow-up students who reported other incidents after that.  The response of the faculty and staff was great as well."

Thomas says he thinks the two incidents are related, and it was probably the same man.  "It's pretty coincidental," he says.   But he says that the description of the man and his car are not 100% clear.  "It was a silver or gray van or car -- we're not exactly sure," he says.  "There have been some conflicting reports."

State law, popularly known as 'Megan's Law,' defines three levels of Sex Offender, low-risk (Level 1), moderate-risk (Level 2) and high-risk (Level 3).  In the 14882 ZIP code alone Lansing has four registered Level 1 sex offenders and one Leve 3 offender.  The school district also includes some residents with neighboring ZIP codes that list more offenders.

The Tompkins County Sheriff's Office Web site lists 20 level 3 offenders in the county, and while only one is in the 14882 ZIP code, at least two others are within Lansing's boundaries.  One of those is in the county jail.  Four more are in neighboring Freeville.

While State law defines sex offenders and requires those convicted to register, it only deals with municipalities responsibility to report the presence of sex offenders to citizens, and sets limits on what information can be disseminated.

In April of 2006 the Town of Lansing went further than that when it passed a sex offender law that prohibits registered sex offenders from going within 1000 feet of any school, church, recreational facility or other areas where children are likely to be.  (Click here for the full text of Lansing's Sex Offender Law).

But enforcement of the law is difficult in a town that does not have its own police force.  That means school officials, teachers, and staff are the first line of defence.  "The main thing is to notify all of the staff in the building to be on alert, to keep their eyes open, and report anything that's suspicious," Thomas says.  "That was done immediately and the Sheriff was notified immediately.  And we formulated a letter and sent it home."

Grimm told the school board that there has been no follow-up report from the Sheriff's office yet.  "They did have some leads that they were working on," he said.  "They were putting together a larger picture with other reports they had gotten in the area."

Thomas says he has remained in close contact with the investigating officer.  "He's been searching the area and observing cars that might match the description, and interviewing anyone who he felt might match the description," he says.  "But nothing has turned up that is definite yet.  We're just being careful at this point."

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