Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for January 10, 2008 BOMB SCARE

Washington School has bomb scare

By Codell Rodriguez, The Southern

JOHNSTON CITY - Washington School students were evacuated Wednesday morning when a student found a note containing a bomb threat.

The student took the note to a teacher, who alerted the principal.

The school was evacuated and the Johnston City police and fire departments were called. They conducted a sweep of the school, finding nothing. Details on the contents of the letter have not been released.

Superintendent Gary Schurz said the students were starting to feel cold outside and were moved to Johnston City High School, which is about a block away. They stayed in the gym and were served lunch before parents or buses came to pick them up. Toni Garrison of Johnston City heard about the threat from another parent, prompting her to pick up her son.

"I was afraid," she said. "I came directly over."

Though Garrison heard the news from another parent, the school district office released the news through AlertNow, an automated system that sends messages to cell phones, land lines and e-mail, at 10:46 a.m. The district office also sent out a letter to parents explaining the situation.

Eighth grade student Sarah Smith, 13, said she thought the evacuation was just another fire drill.

"I thought it was nothing," Smith said. "Nothing ever happens here."

But it's not the first bomb threat Johnston City schools have dealt with. Schurz said past threats have pushed the district to beef up security, spending about $150,000 on the three elementary schools. Additions include security cameras, replacing doors and installing electronic locks.

In addition to added security, roll call is taken whenever there is an emergency and students are not allowed to leave a designated safe area until a parent or guardian picks them up.

"We don't allow kids to just get up and leave," Schurz said.

Schurz could not comment on what actions would be taken if the person responsible for the threat is discovered. However, he said, children will be back in school today and things will be "business as usual."