1, 2, 3 ... 4? Another bomb threat at LaFayette High
By Larry Brooks
Monday May 5, 2008 3:47:34pm


LAFAYETTE, Ga. -- For the fourth time in a week, LaFayette High School has received a bomb threat.

Students were evacuated from the school Monday afternoon after a message was discovered on campus.

Schools Superintendent Melissa Mathis said the nature of the message was not being disclosed at this time because it is still under investigation.

Mathis said the school is working closely with local law enforcement to investigate the matter.

"Students and parents need to be aware that for the next 14 days, at any point, a lock-down or a backpack check may occur," Mathis said. "We have to get to the bottom of this."

Mathis said she and other central office personnel arrived at the school around 2:15 p.m. to help with the evacuation after being called by the high school principal.

"I called 911 before leaving for the school," Mathis said.

She said Principal Hibbs contacted the LaFayette Police Department before calling her.

The students were moved to the football field away from the building after the threat was discovered. Then they were released from the school grounds aboard buses and in personal vehicles.

"We called for buses right away," Mathis said of the evacuation.

Mathis said law enforcement swept the building and found nothing. She said she believed law enforcement are labeling the incident a no-credible threat.

Mathis is asking for anyone with any information about this latest bomb threat to contact local law enforcement authorities.

"This is such a disruption," said Mathis of the threat.

Last week a bomb threat was written on a bathroom wall and two more were called in by phone to the school. Those threats lead to the arrests of three juveniles.

Residents raised many questions as to why the school was not evacuated last week during three similar bomb threats.

Chris Chambers, coordinator of student services for the Walker school system, said last week that the system maintained a zero-tolerance policy toward such threats.

One of the students involved in last week's threats will be facing a school tribunal on Tuesday to discuss what his punishment will be for making such a bomb threat.


[permalink]
Post a comment: You must be logged in order to comment.

 
IrishRed
Comments: 441
Joined: 01/19/2007
05/08/2008 11:11:01 AM
My son said that they were already outside when the first threat was called in. I received a letter yesterday that said they were going to try to get a calling system in place for next year. Last one was written on bathroom wall and they had to leave all book bags and binders at school.
 
please
Comments: 112
Joined: 08/17/2007
05/07/2008 03:50:08 PM
Absolutely every time a threat is received, the school must be evacuated. I know this is disruptive and expensive, but I'd much rather explain a disruption as why I left 1500 children in harm's way. Any administrator who does not do this needs to find another profession.

As for punishing the kids, I'm not really sure what to do with them. They are legally protected minors, so I think it's more important to find out what the problem is with them than trying to levy some big punishment. As juveniles, nothing is going to follow them into adult hood anyway. I just can't imagine what is wrong in a child's life that they think this behavior is acceptable.
 
crochetbug
Comments: 14
Joined: 01/18/2007
05/07/2008 11:35:26 AM
I agree that they should evacuate the school and call 911 but from what I have seen in the recent days at the high school, on the first three bomb threats, our kids didn't rank the consideration of being evacuated from the building, granted the first one was found after the kids went home and they were searched the next morning, but what about the two that were phoned in, why were our children left in the building while it was searched, that is the point I am trying to make, they didn't make sure that our kids were safe, they took the approach that it was a gag, but I have to think "What if", what if they had been wrong, zero tolerence is okay when the adults are the only ones involved, and they are willing to take that chance, but when my son is there it needs to be lets take them out check the school and let the parents know what is going on as soon as possible, not do a book bag check on tuesday because we found a threat on monday after school, and then get two more phone threats and do nothing, then finally send a note to the parents on friday afternoon telling them "it's okay because we got the ones making the threats." I am glad they got the ones that did the first three and they should be punished, but they are most likey not worried because they are juveniles and they know it will be a slap on the wrist, I think they saw what was happening at another school last month and they are following suit and doing this. but a slap on the wrist will do nothing, the punishment has got to hurt them enough to make them stop and think and make others stop and think before they decide to do something this stupid. What is it that the school tribunal is supposed to do, they can suspend the student, but that is all. And our schools need to think more about our kids, no matter what the threat or how creditable they think it is or isn't our kids should come first. It doesn't matter if you have a student at the school or not, these kids are the future and it is our responsibility as a whole to protect them and worry about them.
 
please
Comments: 112
Joined: 08/17/2007
05/07/2008 08:58:42 AM
I agree that the first response to any threat in a school should be call for law enforcement and rescue personnel, and at the same time, start getting the children away from the danger. All schools have more than one administrator, so it is not a big stretch to think one could call 911 and the other start evacuating the school. If my child were there, that would be my first concern. You don't really want 1000 parents rushing into the school while you are trying to clear it. Get the kids safe and clear the danger. AFTER that, you simply must tell the parents the full story and the whole truth about what happened. The kids are going home and talk, and what parents think happened is probably worse than what really happened. I also expect to know when there has been a threat. Send a note home with the kids same day and if too late, then it must go the next day.

 
IrishRed
Comments: 441
Joined: 01/19/2007
05/07/2008 08:50:25 AM
It's great to say you will send an email but I don't check mine every day or at the same time every day.
It would be a little difficult to get out a notice at the end of the day when the threat with one was found in the afternoon. It may not have been in the paper but it was on the news. Juga, it doesn't matter if you have a child there or not, you are entitled to give your opinion. My son said that they were outside while the search was conducted. My first concern would be getting the kids out.

I firmly believe that these kids should be punished to the max. It's a huge waste of time and resources.
 
juga
Comments: 237
Joined: 02/05/2007
05/06/2008 09:34:19 PM
You are right, I don't have a child at LHS,but I do have a child in school. I really feel that removing the students was in the best interest and their safety comes first. When the student is in school, it is the responsibility of the faculty and staff what decision to make.

If phone calls were unanswered and emails went unanswered, why not make an in person visit? As far as writing a letter at the end of the day, the administration has to follow the proper procedure and I am sure had to get all information correct through investigation before statements could be made.

Email is great, but unfortunately, everyone doesn't have access to email..

 
mh67
Comments: 1
Joined: 05/06/2008
05/06/2008 09:00:43 PM
With all due respect Juga, if you don't have a child at LHS you can't possibly know what or how we feel about the situation and how it's been handled. Will it take time to set up a notification system? Yes.

But stop and think about the lifetime of mourning that accompanies the loss of a child due to the "decisions that have to be made quickly and best for all". The faculty, school board, etc. do NOT have the right to decide whether or not to put our children's lives in jeopardy.

When the first incident occured, they kept it quite for an entire week. Phone calls went unanswered, emails went unanswered, and stories were "formulated" by the school board. While it was good that they (the school) finally sent out a letter of explanation at the end of the week, we THE PARENTS should have been notified in writing at the end of the school day or the following day at the absolute latest. Then we could have made an informed decision as to whether or not to send our children to school.

With the rise in violence in our schools we should all be vigilant in our efforts to maintain the integrity of our learning environments without losing site of the safety and wellbeing of our children.

Shools don't hesitate to send letters home for the announcements that I personally feel are less important than this. So why could they not have informed us sooner? The truth will always earn respect while untruths earn resentment.

So again, will a notification system be tedious? Yes. Can it be done? YES. In reality, most people have email access in this day and age. Those who don't personally have email, most likely know someone who does. Microsoft Outlook will allow for groups to be set up very easily. I use it often to communicate with my co-workers, sales force, customers, etc. If the school would dedicate one person for about 8 - 10 hours to enter email addresses, they'd be able to select the group "Parents" and send a notification email in less than five minutes.

As the old adage goes, it's better to err on the side of safety!
 
crochetbug
Comments: 14
Joined: 01/18/2007
05/06/2008 07:35:28 PM
Okay first off I didn't say they went about it wrong, I simply said the parents should have been better informed. Some students might not have realized what was going on you know there are students that are special as in slow learners and autistic as well that just might not have understood what was happening to tell their parents. As far as it being in the paper, it wasn't there until after we were finally told in a note from the school what was going on.

 
juga
Comments: 237
Joined: 02/05/2007
05/06/2008 11:45:44 AM
I had another thought....the students or persons involved tend to be juveniles. These guys are smart. They know that until they turn 17, there is not much that can be done. Our juvenile court system needs to beef up the punishment and show these individuals how serious it is in what they are doing. When the "kids" have to pay a price for they are doing, they might think about it

I once heard a 16 year old say that he had to go to court on such date, but he wasnt worried because he is still 16 and he would just get probation for 2 years. To me, that is a problem. I know punishing juveniles is more restricted, but something needs to be done besides slapping them on the hand and telling them not to do something. Many might say it is the parents responsibility. I agree with that, but when the parents aren't taking responsibility, it should not be left to the public and society to suffer.
 
juga
Comments: 237
Joined: 02/05/2007
05/06/2008 10:05:45 AM
I do believe the students or person(s) should be punished to the max. It is uncalled for and the danger and worry that they put people is horrible. If these are students who are doing this, they need to realize the school board can make the students go on Sat. to make up the time they have missed out of class.

Pranks like this is what causes our nation to look at situations and be uncertain of what is going on. Our officers, teachers, administrators have important jobs and need to be doing them instead of trying to figure out if a bomb threat is real and if so where is it.
 
LHSgirl09
Comments: 1
Joined: 05/06/2008
05/06/2008 09:44:38 AM
My little brother goes to this school. In my opinon this kids need to stop. They arent proving anything. In some ways I feel it is just some senior prank but it will call for more punishment that what the kids got my 10th grade year... a night in jail. These arent funny. Three have been caught. I dont think they are serious I hope they are not. But its not funny to live in the small honky tonk town LaFayettte and send your kids to school in fear that the school will blow up. My mom made the comment this morning, "Im worried about sending him to school" Education is a important thing in life. How well you are educatied in today's world depends on how well you live. Stop the nocense and go back to class. Writing notes and making phone calls is very childish and wuill get you nowhere. Be mature and turn yourself in and just let everyone else be.
 
IrishRed
Comments: 441
Joined: 01/19/2007
05/06/2008 08:25:34 AM
I am the parent of an LHS student and he told me about the bomb threat when he got home. I hope these kids get some serious punishment. It's very disruptive and downright stupid.
 
juga
Comments: 237
Joined: 02/05/2007
05/05/2008 07:26:26 PM
I am not a parent of a LHS student or an employee of the school system, but I do remember the bomb threat being in the paper.

It would be impossible to let everyone know about such incident. The job of a school and law enforcement is to maintain safety and make sure order is kept. It would be a nightmare if every student contacted a parent or if the news was made that a threat was made. It would be a disaster. Taking the students as far away as the football stadium is proper procedure in order to keep the students safe.

If students have parents who work at the school and that parent took the responsibility of taking her/his child in the building, that is their business. If a parent wanted to go back to the school and get whatever was left, I am sure there wouldn't have been a problem.

Sometimes we must put ourselves in the shoes of others and know sometimes decisions have to be made quickly and what is best for all.
 
crochetbug
Comments: 14
Joined: 01/18/2007
05/05/2008 06:20:57 PM
As a parent of a student at the high school, I have to ask why it took us nearly a week to hear about the first bomb threat and why did the parents not know that something was going on today instead of just calling 911 and letting the students that drove leave the school while the bus riders and car riders had to wait and wonder because the buses didn't get there until regular time because they were already on routes for the Elementary school by the time that they were called. I also would like to know why some students were allowed back in the school while others were told that they would have to leave their bookbags and go home without them. Why are students special that their parents are teachers at the school or that their parents work in the office, they should have had to stay out of the building until the parents came out.

<< < Prev - Next > >>