School shooting threats have shaken up students’ routines, causing fear, disrupting class time and changing safety protocols since they started in December.
School shooting threats have shaken up students’ routines, causing fear, disrupting class time and changing safety protocols since they started in December.
The first school shooting threat was called in the afternoon of Dec. 10, followed by another more specific threat the following morning. The second threat prompted the school to go into a hold, meaning hallways were cleared and all students had to remain in their classrooms with the door locked. Two more threats came in later that day, making four threats within 24 hours.
The threats continued throughout the next week causing a notable decrease in attendance not only in students but in staff too, with 29 teachers absent on Dec. 12, the day after the first hold. Due to threats being called in a day before the winter assembly was scheduled to announce this year’s Scots’ Angel and two days before winter formal, both events were postponed until after winter break.
There was some hope among students and staff that the threats would end after winter break and that the callers’ threats were an attempt to get a longer winter break. This hope was taken away though when another threat came in on the morning of Jan. 12, exactly one week after coming back from winter break. Threats continued until the most recent ones on Feb. 10, which caused a secure during 5th period, meaning students weren’t allowed to leave their classes, classroom doors and windows were locked and all the front doors were locked as well.
While unable to answer specific questions due to the case being an open investigation, assistant principal Joe Talley assured there are extra measures being taken to ensure safety on campus. There’s now a new locking system with the outside doors which no longer gives students a five minute grace period to get inside and to class.
Along with that, security guards have been assigned to different zones in the school so there are eyes all around the building at all times. The school is also focusing on communication, trying to make sure all families are updated on what’s going on.
“Parents and students were concerned,” said Talley, “Parents were checking out students on a regular basis.”
Despite the focus on communication, many students have complained that they’ve stopped receiving emails when threats are called in when staff and parents still get them. Students have reported feeling like their concerns and safety aren’t being taken seriously due to the disconnect in communication, a big reason why they’ve been checking out of school when threats occur.
“The kids I talked to are concerned and a little bit scared,” said Talley. “We’ve been working with families, the district office and Portland Police.”