An independent review to help Hamilton’s public school board better respond to bullying in the wake of the stabbing death of a high school student got off to an inauspicious start Monday when trustees couldn’t agree on who should sit on its advisory panel.

Following more than two hours of closed-door debate, trustees emerged in public session shortly before midnight to adjourn their meeting without explanation to an empty board room save for one reporter.

Earlier, a packed public gallery had been told trustees would pick three panel members for the Safe Schools: Bullying Prevention and Intervention Review by the end of the evening.

Board chair Alex Johnstone said afterwards trustees will continue their discussion at their next board meeting on Nov. 11.

She said she couldn’t divulge any details on prospective members of the panel, a response to public outcry following the stabbing death of 14-year-old student Devan Bracci-Selvey outside Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School on Oct. 7.

Two teens, aged 14 and 18, are charged with first-degree murder in what critics say was the result of the board’s failure to act on complaints about ongoing bullying of the victim.

“Trustees are taking this process extremely seriously and we are taking the time needed to ensure a thoughtful, thorough decision is made because we know how important this is to the community and to our students,” Johnstone said.

Though unable to agree on its makeup, trustees unanimously supported striking the panel, to be tasked with consulting students, parents, guardians, school staff and the community, and then making recommendations to the board by the end of May.

Education director Manny Figueiredo said the panel members will be respected community members with knowledge of equity, mental health and school board operations.

He said the review will look at the broader issue of bullying at school and likely cost $100,000 to $150,000, depending on how much outside research and expertise is required.

The money will come from the board’s $1 million contingency budget for unanticipated expenditures.

“It really doesn’t matter what this costs. It’s just too darn important not to do anything about it, so it’s got to be done,” said trustee Ray Mulholland, who represents Sir Winston Churchill, to applause from onlookers.

The board’s annual student surveys have repeatedly identified bullying and safety at school as a concern.

Last year’s survey, for instance, showed slightly more than one in 10 high school students “rarely or never” feel safe at school, while nearly one in five said they never have an adult at school who cares about them.

Among elementary students, 48 per cent of students in grades 4 to 6 reported being physically bullied — 15 per cent weekly or more — while 36 per cent in grades 7 and 8 did so, 11 per cent of them weekly or more.

Johnstone said the review reflects the board’s strong desire to address a complex problem that extends beyond school to broader society.

“There is no single, shiny solution. If there was, I think that we would have been implementing that already,” she said.

Shari-Ann Sullivan Selvey, Devan’s mom, attended the meeting but left without speaking to reporters, apparently upset she hadn’t been allowed to address trustees.

“We’re deeply sorry that there was that misunderstanding,” Johnstone said. “We’ll be reaching out to her in the coming days to further discuss (it) with her.”