UUUGGGGGHHH! A bomb threat for school tomorrow.

[mom2boys]

at DS's middle school. This is the 2nd bomb threat this year in addition to the "hit list" that was uncovered in October. Both bomb threats have been written on bathroom walls. The first was in the boys bathroom & indicated the bomb would explode on Dec XX - a Saturday when there was a home basketball game. Today's threat was found in a girl's bathroom & indicated that the bomb would explode tomorrow. The school was searched by the bomb squad & it's dogs today & will be searched again tomorrow before any students or staff enter the building. Logically I don't think there's any more to it than the note. HOWEVER, I have to say, I am uncomfortable sending my son to school tomorrow. I want to keep him home with me. DH is pooh-poohing the notion that there really is a bomb. What would you do?

 

[CathrynRose]

at DS's middle school. This is the 2nd bomb threat this year in addition to the "hit list" that was uncovered in October. Both bomb threats have been written on bathroom walls. The first was in the boys bathroom & indicated the bomb would explode on Dec XX - a Saturday when there was a home basketball game. Today's threat was found in a girl's bathroom & indicated that the bomb would explode tomorrow. The school was searched by the bomb squad & it's dogs today & will be searched again tomorrow before any students or staff enter the building. Logically I don't think there's any more to it than the note. HOWEVER, I have to say, I am uncomfortable sending my son to school tomorrow. I want to keep him home with me. DH is pooh-poohing the notion that there really is a bomb. What would you do?

I'd trust your gut..... it's only one day.

 

[Feralpeg]

We used to get those at work on a regular basis. The company operator would get an anonymous call saying that a bomb had been planted in one of our buildings. The first few times, the evacuated the building and sent people home. Nothing was found. After awhile, the company stopped evacuating people. The threats stopped. It was obvious to everyone that some employee was calling in so that they'd get out of work.

I hope that is all it is at you DS's school. Maybe the school needs to have a talk with the kids about what can happen to them if they are caught making a false bomb threat. It might just scare whoever is doing it enough to make them stop.

 

[Pinkprincessmom]

I remember getting bomb threats as a student in the '80's. I remember never being frightened, but enjoying the break from class while the school was searched. However, as a parent, I would not send my child to school under these circumstances.

 

[dumboiu]

HOWEVER, I have to say, I am uncomfortable sending my son to school tomorrow. I want to keep him home with me. DH is pooh-poohing the notion that there really is a bomb. What would you do?

Better safe than sorry..... aw:

 

[monarchsfan16]

Been there, as a student, only it was a city wide shooting threat (as in a threat of shooting in all 3 high schools at the same time/same day in the city). I ended up going with my gut. I knew that my school had good emergency plans, but there was no way on earth I was going to school. Nothing happened that day, but unless it was happening on a daily basis I would not have changed my choice. My mom is a teacher. I was 18, and my sister was 15 when this happened last April. She left it up to us to make the decision, since we were old enough to take responsibility for ourselves, and she's been through years of bomb threats (one year in particular they had a threat a week, sometimes every day for 5 or 6 months) at her high school. Originally there was no way she was letting us go to school, but when she talked the city's emergency plans out of one of her friends, she grew more confident.
Personally, I say go with your gut. It's only one day. However, you may want to call up the police (the non emergency line) and find out what they have to say about the situation. Do you know one of the police or adminstrators personally (or at least they know you)? Ask them one question: would you send your kid to school if you had one. If their answer reassures you, send him. If it doesn't, don't. But even if they feel it's safe, it's still ok to go with your gut.
Ok, so I probably didn't help much. But I do understand this one from the point of having to make a decision. I had to make it as a student. It's hard. Go with your gut, whichever way your gut leans

 

[mom2boys]

They haven't evacuated for either bomb threat - I assume because they have always been for future dates. They put the kids under lockdown (meaning keep them in their classrooms) and bring in the police and the bomb sniffing dogs. DS did see a police officer out in the hall from his science class.
They have told the kids over & over about the consequences of making threats. I spoke with the principal and she indicated that some kids have come forward with some info on who left the threat. WIth the hit list incident, some students knew of it for two weeks before someone mentioned it to his/her mother. The mother informed the admin, none of the kids came forward prior to that.
I plan to talk to some of the other parents at DS's scout meeting tonight to see their take on the situation. It is a Friday. I will more to DS before making a final decision.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I'm sorry you are going through this. I remember this happened at my HS after the Columbine incident. Everyday for about two weeks we had one. One was even spray painted on the side of the school. Be happy your school is doing something about it. Mine didn't. Nothing happened in the end but it would have been nice to know the school involved the police.

I'd say go with your gut. If you don't feel comfortable letting your kid go to school that day, then don't. Don't put him and yourself under that much stress if you don't have to. Hopefully the threats are all fake and everything turns out ok.

 

[janice1234]

jeez, what a scary world our kids have to grow up in. if it was my kids school i would keep them home for the day. i would be a nervous wreck having them in school. i hope they catch the kid or kids making these threats, and prosecute them. good luck.

 

[diznygirl]

Whatever happened to just pulling the fire alarm?

I think you keep your child home - call it a personal day - do something fun or just watch TV all day - you will feel better.

 

[belle_of_the_ball]

every year my school gets a bomb scare...sometimes more...or less. Last year there was a really bad one. All kids ended up being evacuated with out warning and so nobody had a coat and it was wet and cold...after a while we walked across the the street and then some to the bus yard (yes...over 3000 kids got through this transport) and we all had to sit on our buses...than they took us home..after a few hours


i remeber some kid ordered a pizza for a bus...i wasnt there...but it was pretty funny when you heard it.

those things are scary...i get scared when they make us do drills!

 

[mum4jenn]

I was in school in the 70's and we used to have bomb threats LOTS and I never remember there ever being a big deal made of it by the parents. The fire dept and police would come....we would sit outside while the building was searched.....we would get the all clear and go back in...end of story.

The school system I work in had LOTS of bomb threats about 3 years ago. At least one a week at times. The system has a great plan. All the students are either bussed or told to walk to the other schools(all 6 of our school are within a few blocks-a few hundred feet of each other. The lunchroom staff is picked up by a bus and transported to the other schools(divided up) and they work on making emergency meals. Sometimes the students are taken to the high school football stadium. The local police, and fire depts come as well as the bomb sniffing dogs from the marine base.

Kids are doing this as a joke or prank and then there are copycats. Some kids are really stupid as some of the calls were made on cell phones( traced) home phones(traced) and even once cameras were installed outside the restrooms the pranks were still going on...turned out the teachers children were writing things on the walls after school while they were waiting on their parents to finish up their work day!!!

I would still send my child to school. I am sure they are taking all precautions necessary to make sure the students are safe. If you are unsure please talk to someone with the school system about it and ask what their procedures are.

 

[kilee]

This has been happening a lot around here right before the Christmas break. To the point it was all over the local news- and this wouldn't usually be the case.

If your gut says to keep your kids home-- it's only one day- and you'll feel better.