An alleged supermarket conversation sparked a great deal of controversy at a Lehighton Area School District board of directors meeting Monday night.

A former Lehighton Area Middle School social studies teacher, in a letter recently sent to the school district, said he overheard LASD board member Barbara Bowes say shooting High School Principal Sue Howland “might not be a bad thing” during a discussion she was having about school security with an employee and customer at Giant Food Store in Lehighton on March 15.

Bowes, who also works at Giant, said a fellow store employee was talking to her about school security because he had been to the school and felt he was not buzzed in. Her comment, she said, was not about Howland, but instead about planned upgraded security measures at district buildings.

“I do remember the employee saying he could have shot Sue Howland and he was speaking if he had been an active shooter,” Bowes said. “The retired teacher did confront me and I tried to explain that he misunderstood my comment. When I said that might not be a bad thing, I was talking about certain potential security upgrades.”

The board did not identify the letter writer. A copy of the letter has been obtained by the Times News but the writer’s identity was covered.

In his letter, the retired teacher said he went back to the store the next day to confront Bowes, who reiterated to him that he misunderstood her comment.

“I would think that she was sincere in that statement,” the letter states. “She probably has a disagreement over Mrs. Howland’s job performance. However, I pointed out to her that since Columbine, all involved in education had to be careful with their words.”

Dr. Christina Fish, Lehighton superintendent, said Bowes self reported the situation later the same day.

The issue was brought forth to the school board and, on Monday night, board president Joy Beers categorized the situation as a “he said, she said” scenario.

“We did talk to those involved and the stories were not matching up,” Beers said. “At the end of the day, what proof is there that this was said. That is where I find myself stuck.”

Beers said she suggested Bowes and Howland “have a chat,” but did not know if that had occurred yet.

Howland said after the meeting she had no comment on the letter.

“I will say that nobody should be casually talking about this,” Beers said. “School shootings are certainly not ha-ha moments.”

The discussion went on for 25 minutes of the three-hour board meeting.

Lehighton resident Autumn Abelovsky said she was disappointed the matter was not handled in a similar fashion to a “he said, she said” situation between students. She also called for Bowes to temporarily step down from the board pending an investigation.

“If a student said a child made a threat, there would be consequences immediately, even if the child in question denied making the comment,” Abelovsky said. “There was no follow through or consequences here and it feels like it’s being swept under the rug.”

Coming to Bowes’ defense Monday was board colleague Jeremy Glaush, who said the accusations levied against her didn’t sound like the person he knows.

“I have known Barb for the past eight years,” Glaush said. “She has made enemies in this town, but I know she would never ever make that statement.”

Bowes said she was surprised at what the situation had morphed into, comparing it to the game “whispering down the alley” or “telephone.”

“I would never wish ill on anyone,” she said. “I believe, like the Bible says, it comes back to you tenfold. I don’t even wish ill on my enemies. I would never say that about anyone here or anywhere else.”