Rumors are swirling around Lehman Campus as students and staff talk about what really happened when everyone was put on a hold on April 27. During a campus hold, all students and staff must remain inside classrooms and offices until the hold is lifted. This can be used to make it safe to remove someone having a medical emergency, for example, or in this case, to arrest and remove someone from the campus.

According to news reports, the school used the hold to arrest a 28-year-old female “student” who had been attending Westchester Square Academy for two weeks as a 16-year-old female. As a “student” at Westchester Square, the impersonator shared hallways and bathroom access with students at Bronx River High School.

According to News 12/The Bronx, the woman has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, criminal impersonation, possession of a forged instrument and criminal trespassing. The NYPD and the NYC Department of Education did not respond to requests to confirm the information.

News 12 based its story on an anonymous caller who said that the 28-year-old made students uncomfortable which led to the initial report, which led to speculation among students and staff about the person’s motives. The “overage” student had a few meetings with the WSA’s social worker, who also raised red flags.

Westchester Square students noticed her behavior, saying that she would tell students about “hiding bodies,” which made people uncomfortable.

Once Channel 12 released the report, school officials started sharing information about the incident. Westchester Square Academy had a Town Hall meeting briefing the students on May 5. Bronx River students and families received an email on the same day from Gregory Fucheck, the principal, acknowledging the incident and saying that a deeper police investigation is ongoing.

The student enrolled at Westchester Square Academy through one of the DOE’s Family Welcome Centers.   The NYCPS (New York City Public Schools) will be “reviewing their enrollment procedures and are reinforcing safeguards to ensure that all documentation is thoroughly verified,”  Mr. Fucheck said in a letter to families.

However, this doesn’t satisfy all faculty and parents. An anonymous interviewee said that the situation terrifies her. “School is supposed to be the safest place besides home,’’ she said. “ If we can’t guarantee safety then what can we guarantee?”