Parents frustrated with school bomb threats
Parents were standing in below freezing weather on Tuesday waiting for their kids at Long Neck Elementary to get off the bus at a nearby church.
However, it wasn’t because the school day was over. Rather, there had been another bomb threat. This was the third for the Indian River District.
Dana Franklin, parent says, “This is becoming too much for parents as you can see around here to be called off of work, called off of whatever their daily activity is, to come pick up their children.”
Dozens of schools along Delmarva have been receiving robotic, or robo-call type bomb threats since last week. Salisbury Middle, Stephen Decatur High, and Long Neck Elementary were a few of the ones that got the call on Tuesday. Parents say it’s becoming a scary norm.
Jenna Feith says, “Oh it freaked me out because of everything that happens around the country you know. You think it’s never going to happen and it does.”
In Long Neck’s Elementary case, the caller said he was armed and on the roof of the school threatening to harm students and faculty. Everyone was evacuated.
Although the school got the all clear, Feith is nervous as to how this experience will affect her kindergartener.
She continues, “He tells me they have bad guy drills a lot and then for them to actually do it, I think he’s going to freak out probably.”
An official with the Indian River School District says they have put extra security measures in place, but they won’t disclose them for safety reasons. However, they will say is that the FBI is working on the case.
Franklin says, “We need to find out who is causing all this commotion and put a stop and end to it now.”
There’s been a petition circulating on the internet that appears to be stemming from parents in Worcester County asking for the community to come together to help end these threats.
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office say they have no stance on anyone’s petition; but they’re working with several local and federal partners on investigating these crimes.
Delaware State Senator Ernie Lopez is taking a stance on these threats. Rehoboth Elementary, which is in his district, also received a bomb threat on Tuesday.
His statement is as follows:
Cowards Will Be Caught
“Today, another coward sought to put fear into the hearts and minds of our Cape district parents with a threat made against our most vulnerable population: our children.
Once again, Cape district teachers, administrators and staff, showed courage, care and concern for their students and on a day of brutal cold went above and beyond the job each of them intended to perform when they arrived in their classrooms to work this morning.
Let me make something perfectly clear to those who continue to try to instill fear into Moms and Dads, grandparents and our community as a whole: your actions are despicable and when you are discovered you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is only a matter of time until your arrogance and mean spiritedness catch up with you and when they do, please be mindful of the fact that in choosing to use our children to spread your fear, patience and understanding as to your reasoning will be difficult to bestow. We will find you.
A deep and sincere thanks again to our local teachers and staff and law enforcement who have borne this burden these last few weeks. The love you have shown all of our children and the professionalism with which you have carried out your job is valued and appreciated. “
