Jefferson Morgan disrupted three of past four days
For the third time in four school days, classes in the Jefferson-Morgan School District were briefly disrupted by a bomb threat.
As has occurred in each of the six bomb threats this year, a note was found in one of the school buildings and both the elementary and junior/senior high buildings were evacuated.
“Yes, we had a bomb threat at the elementary school. State police cleared the building and the students went back to classes,” said Samuel Silbaugh, the elementary school principal.
One arrest was made in an earlier incident this year, with charges filed against a juvenile. The district has also reportedly taken steps to remove that student from the district. State police have spoken at two recent school board meetings and are planning assemblies with all of the students in the district to discuss the seriousness and dangers involved in making bomb threats, even if there is no bomb involved.
The high school several weeks ago enhanced its prevention techniques by adding monitors to keep notes from being left in hallways or restrooms. Silbaugh said the elementary school is also looking at taking additional precautions.
“We’re having internal conversations about procedures we’re putting into place to be precautionary,” Silbaugh said. “We have a bullet-proof handbook that spells out the consequences for these actions.”
Silbaugh declined to comment on the consequences, instead indicating that the handbook is available online at the district’s website.
According to the online handbook, a terroristic threat or bomb threat is considered a level three violation, the most serious listed in the handbook, and can be punished in a variety of ways, starting with parental contact, suspension, expulsion or police notification.
In addition, a student who makes such a threat could be held liable for all damages or losses and could face a hearing before the school board.