Would you send your kids to school when there was a bomb threat? - Update!!

[marciemi]

Sounds like one of those obvious questions, doesn't it? Well, it's becoming old hat around here and I'm getting frustrated. My DS's middle school has had 4 bomb threats in just over a month. The first one they evacuated the school for about 3 hours while they searched the building (luckily it was 70 degrees and sunny that day). Second one they decided was just a copycat threat (all threats were written notes left in a bathroom) so notified parents and the police and searched the building but didn't evacuate.

Last week there was a very specific threat on Monday against a number of named students and said it would happen Wednesday. Those parents were notified by the principal individually and everyone else was told it would be fine. Police and FBI and K9 swept the school before class and all students went through a pat down and wand type metal detector search when they entered and no bags or backpacks were allowed in.

My DS has a class at the high school first hour so missed that time. I drove him to the middle school and came in with him, but he REALLY begged me not to make him go. I did for 3 reasons - 1 that school had already started and everything had been cleared already, 2 that I really didn't believe he was scared but that he just wanted the day off, and 3 that I had a job interview and didn't want to deal with him being home. Yes, I'm a terrible parent. After I left him I considered running back and getting him MANY times, especially since he was insisting that if anything happened it would be at lunch time.

He came home and said that about 2/3 of the school was absent including many kids who I never would have thought their parents would have let them stay home so obviously a lot of people were afraid. Lots of letters came home insisting that the FBI, county police, etc. were all working on this and everything would be fine.

Well, guess what happened again today? Came home from school with yet ANOTHER one of those letters. Another bomb threat, more kids named, supposed to happen tomorrow. The letter says once again FBI, etc, pat downs, etc. tomorrow. My son insists that NO ONE will be at school, and like last week, they won't do anything all day since there aren't enough kids (they watched movies/read/played games in most of his classes). The note says it's safe to send your students, particularly since nothing threatening (guns, bomb material) has ever been found and that this is probably just a written "annoyance" with nothing to back it up.

Well, last week I really never considered not sending him but with how bad I felt when I did, I'm not sure I did the right thing. Now with knowing that he did nothing that day I feel even more like I shouldn't send him tomorrow. Even though it's a miniscule risk, is it stupid to take that risk for a wasted day at school anyways?

I'm frustrated (as are all the other parents). What would you do and/or should I do?

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I guess the schools have to take any and all threats serious, but honestly, of all the school shootings, did any of those kids call in ahead of time?

If someone was going to blow up a school, they would not call in a threat so the school will be evacuated.

Not being in that situation, I can't honestly answer if I would send him or not. Right now, not being a part of it, I would say yes, I would send him, even if the kids don't do anything all day, I would not want him marked absent.

 

[marciemi]

Anyone else? I'm really trying to decide. I think if nothing else I'll send him to the high school for his first hour, then call the middle school and ask them what percentage of the kids are absent. IF they answer the phones then and IF they'll me, then maybe I won't send him if a lot of kids are absent again.

Guess I also wonder if the schools, police, and FBI can't figure out by now who's writing these notes (ie handwriting, fingerprints, etc.), how good exactly are they at making sure they don't do anything else!

 

[bsnyder]

Yes, I've been through this, and yes, my kids went to school. I don't think it matters if a lot of other students are absent or not.

My kids weren't scared either, they saw it as an excuse to miss a day. If one of mine was truly frightened, that would complicate my decision, but I would do everything I could to convince them that they should go to school.

If we lived our lives avoiding every possibility of an inkling of danger, we'd never leave our homes. Use common sense, yes. But in this case, it sounds like the school is taking appropriate precautions.

 

[minniecarousel]

I think I would send my kids, under those circumstances. It sounds like a copycat routine. I'm surprised that they haven't caught the kid yet. (we have cameras all over our campus, & while not IN the bathrooms, there would probably be angles, showing who was going in or coming out when the notes were probably left.)

 

[marciemi]

I think I would send my kids, under those circumstances. It sounds like a copycat routine. I'm surprised that they haven't caught the kid yet. (we have cameras all over our campus, & while not IN the bathrooms, there would probably be angles, showing who was going in or coming out when the notes were probably left.)

I have to wonder about this too. The note said they've installed security cameras through the school now, but they can't cover everywhere. It also said that teachers are now required to keep a log of any student that leaves the classroom at any time. You'd think that A) the bathroom entrances would be a key point to have the cameras at since all the notes have been left there and B) between this and the teacher logs they could at least narrow it down!

 

[r3ngels]

I would keep him home... it isn't worth it. I do like your idea of calling in and seeing who was there.

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

Ask your son if he really feels safe going to school.

Listen to what he has to say.

If you don't think it's good enough, trust your motherly instincts and keep him home.

 

[snowy76]

This must be a new thing in your area. In our area bomb threats happen just about every time there is a warm day, and for about the last 8 years or so!

We tend to have kids call 911 from a pay phone and claim there will be a bomb in some school somewhere in the county. So everyone has to evacuate. The vast majority of kids who call these in or leave the notes think they're funny or they want to get out of school. Don't sweat it. If the authorities are involved and taking precautions, send your kids. It's important to be there. JMO.

 

[lclark0621]

I would not send my son to school if there was a threat like that.

No how, no way. It is not worth the risk.

 

[Hedy]

I think it's probably another hoax, and I'd send my kid in. But you have to decide.

 

[Planogirl]

We used to have regular bomb threats too and it was generally kids playing jokes or trying to get out of school. But only you can decide what's best.

 

[flipturngirl]

Well we had a school shooting threat when I was in 7th grade. Some people slammed bricks into the windows at the school and then had a note attached to it saying they would shoot these teachers.. well i did not go to school the next day since i was so scared. come to find out it was easy to fingerprint them because they wrote it in pen by hand... and they had fingerprints all over it..

 

[themarquis]

just out of curiousity, have any of you ever heard of a single case in which a bomb threat was actually carried out? I haven't , but who knows ...

Just seems to me that kids call in bomb threats on a test day ... people who actually plan to bomb schools (or whatever) ... well ... why would they warn everyone first? Seems like they'd prefer that everyone be there so they can hurt more people.

 

[Hannathy]

I'd send him. My DD's school went thru this last yr and the Kids were mad at the school when they sent them outside! After the first time it gets old real fast. The first couple were threats for that day then one came in for a couple days later, everyone my DD knew went they didn't want to miss anymore class time. These threats have been going on since the 70's and I'm with the others in haven't heard of 1 that has actually been carried out. If the authorities have ok'd the school send him they aren't going to risk the publicity or lawsuit if there was any danger.

 

[castleview]

If we lived our lives avoiding every possibility of an inkling of danger, we'd never leave our homes. Use common sense, yes. But in this case, it sounds like the school is taking appropriate precautions.

As I heard a stranger say after 9/11: "Am I going to let my fear or my faith dictate my life?"

 

[kilee]

In my junior year of high school we had at least 2-3 dozen over the course of a month. We'd get 1 in the morning then again in the afternoon. Now the bomb threat part is one thing.

What is the part about letter's w/ certain people being targeted? Last year there was some heavy rumors going around our district about school shootings on a particular day. The school wasn't giving any credability- said nothing to back it up but rumors. DS really didn't want to go- so we let him stay home. It was 1 day, and I wouldn't of wanted to live w/ the regrets.

I think you have to go w/ your instincts and each situation individually.

 

[Disney Doll]

I probably would send my kid in because at that age, it is probably just copcat crimes, because one was called in and then other kids saw that it got them out of classes for a couple of hours and some kids saw that their parents let them stay home, and before you know it, everyone's calling in bomb threats to miss school.

I know everyone thinks their kids are great, and they would never do anything like this, but I will tell you that my experience with teenagers is that they do not always think, they tend to react or copycat to be "cool" and they sometimes do really stupid things...heck, adults sometimes do really stupid things and we're supposed to be the smart ones, so why wouldn't we expect a kid to do something really stupid?

As far as cameras near the bathroom doors, so they could see who is going in & out...my guess is that they'd have some kid or parent complaining about violating their privacy and that would cause a bigger uproar...there's not a lot of common sense in the world today.

As far as the police not being able to figure out...how do you know? Have they called you and told you "we can't figure this out...can you help us?" Remember, they are dealing with minors here and all the laws designed to protect the little darlings, rushing to judgement is never a good idea...just because they haven't announced that Johnny Jones is the bomb threatener, with Billy Smith, Susie Perkins, and Mary Parker being the copycats, doesn't mean they don't know "whodunnit". My father was a cop for a lot of years...you'd be amazed at the hoops they have to jump through behind the scenes in terms of arrests, convictions, civil rights and such...good protection and checks and balances, to be sure...but still slows down the process some.

I kind of like the "fear or faith" theory and I prefer to choose faith. I don't like to let the bad guys win.

 

[marciemi]

Well, I sent him. I picked him up at the high school and went into the middle school with him. Talked to the staff and assured me (and more him) that everything was fine and that there were "very few" kids out today and that it would be just a normal day.

I wasn't sure which way it would go - if parents were getting fed up with too many of these and would keep their kids home or just ignore it and send them as a result. Sounds like most people are believing that the situation is under control and this is just an annoyance, not a serious threat. However, if this happens again, I will keep him home as much to make a statement that I don't think they're doing enough about this as anything (and will make that statement to them!)

As far as asking me how I know what the police are doing, I guess I don't completely, even though they send us notes home on the "progress" nearly daily. They do say that some things are intentionally being withheld, but the last few have really led us to believe that it was done. The fact that it keeps happening anyway I guess is what makes me think they aren't doing enough. I do realize it could be copycat, but think between the FBI, police, and school staff that this should be done by now.

I'm sure if I kept him home it would be unexcused, although if he got close to whatever the limit is (and he hasn't missed any school yet except for 2 orthodontist appointments), I could probably appeal it and I doubt they'd hold it against him. However, it's nice that all my kids' newsletters have fill in the blank forms to arrange for excused hunting absences! Guess if it happens again Friday or later I could just say he was hunting! Thanks everyone for the support - I'll let you know if anything happens.

 

[marciemi]

Just wanted to update this thread and let everyone know that they FINALLY (after yet ANOTHER threat on Monday) caught the kid doing this by using cameras and interrogating everyone that went in and out of the restroom during the time the note was left and having them provide handwriting samples. Apparently the boy confessed and it was the same kid doing ALL the notes, not a copycat thing. He's "facing expulsion and other legal charges" according to the note home which I certainly hope means they'll happen, not that he's just "facing" them. I also think his parents should be held liable for the cost of surveillance, law enforcement in the schools, the scanning wands, etc.!