Threats Cause Local New York Schools To Evacuate
In Parkland, Fla. a shooter at a local high school took the lives of 14 students. The shooter’s strategy involved pulling a fire alarm to scatter students throughout the school causing widespread pandemonium and chaos. With this shooting being the most recent American tragedy, school officials and educators are left pondering their own school safety and security protocol and how to combat an active shooter on school grounds.
Although the nation is firing on Twitter about guns, the 2nd Amendment, privilege, and mental illness, the all too real scenario of an active shooter is hitting close to home. Local administrators are being forced to take a look at the standard protocol that protects the school and the students in the midst of an emergency such as this.
Poughkeepsie school in New York’s Dutchess county are not immune to their own threats of violence in their schools. Three threats made against the Dover and Beacon brought some alarm to local police forces but were deemed not credible after thorough investigation. The threats were a prank and the 14-year-old culprit is currently being charged with juvenile delinquency.
The threat for the Dover schools came via message on Snapchat that was made apparent to school and local law enforcement officials after another student reported the threatening message. Dover schools also received two bomb threats over the phone which caused the school to be evacuated and closed on Wednesday morning.
Beacon schools’ superintendent, Matt Landahl, labeled the threat “completely not credible” after the threat was not considered serious. The superintendent for Dover schools also had some comments regarding the recent threat to school security.
“We’ll open on a normal schedule tomorrow morning, and we hope that these senseless acts are over. In the meantime, please talk with your child about using social media correctly, and the ongoing importance of telling an adult if something doesn’t seem right or normal. If your child is fearful or anxious and wants to talk with someone, we’ll have counselors available at all schools. You can call the main office or your child can tell their homeroom teacher and we’ll arrange counseling,” said Mike Tierney.
The threats made against these Dutchess county schools come at a turbulent time in American history when school safety, gun reform, and student protests are dominating the American news cycle.
The case against the Dutchess county 14-year-old is currently still in the process in local Family Court and teen’s identity will not be released by any local law enforcement because of the teen’s age. Schools were closed early today due to icy roads but I’m sure the day off from school, was a much needed measure for the students and faculty alike. Starting on Friday, Dutchess county schools will resume its normal academic schedule.
