School districts in both Houston and Miami reportedly received threats Wednesday similar to those against NY and Los Angeles schools earlier this week.
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The district’s police department activated its emergency response protocol and began working with other law enforcement agencies to make sure the schools were safe, though no credible threat was found. Officials further stated that an investigation was underway. After consultation with state and federal law enforcement, it was deemed “less than credible”, it said. NY officials, however, said that most of the threats turn out to be hoaxes.
HISD police werepresent at the Arabic Immersion Magnet School on Thursday, in Houston. William Bratton, New York Police Commissioner, alleged that the school officials’ decision to close down schools was an overreaction to the threats. The district has more than 265,000 students.
School officials in the in cities of Danville and Plainfield cited concerns about the safety of students and staff in announcing the closures of schools.
Los Angeles, which has the nation’s second-largest school districts, closed Tuesday after receiving the threat. We have bombs hidden in lockers already at several schools.
The Dallas Independent School District, with approximately 160,000 students, also said it would keep schools open.
Although classes in South Florida were in session, Thursday, the Miami-Dade and Broward County school boards planned to step up security at local public schools as a precautionary measure.
SFUSD Superintendent Richard Carranza says five school district employees received email threats.
This story was updated with the time when Long Beach Unified School District received threat, and the reported threats in Las Vegas and suburban Indianapolis.
“We assure (parents) that we take every threat that we receive seriously”, Hickman said.
The Dallas Independent School District received a similar threat to the ones sent to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Houston school officials on Wednesday night.
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Danville Community School Corporation canceled classes following alleged threats, including threats from two students who’ve been arrested. They are pressure cooker bombs, hidden in backpacks around the schools. They say that other ESD staff members were also sent the same email.
