NEWARK– Though a snow day meant a quiet day Thursday, the recent bomb threats that have plagued local schools continue to be a hot topic in the community.
School system officials held an internal meeting Wednesday with law enforcement from throughout the region to discuss the latest developments. The media could not attend.
“We are incredibly grateful for the partnerships we have with all the local, state and federal allied agencies in investigating and addressing these recent threats,” said Carrie Sterrs, coordinator of public relations for the school system. “Yesterday’s meeting was productive and we will continue to work with these agencies to provide a safe and secure environment for learning for every student in Worcester County.”
That meeting came after several parents expressed concern at this month’s school board meeting, which was held Tuesday, and as more than 1,400 added their names to an online petition calling for schools to close or excuse student absences in the wake of threats. There have now been four bomb threats within a week in Worcester County.
Though education officials assured parents that they’re doing everything they can to maintain safe schools, parents Tuesday told the school board they were still worried.
Ocean Pines resident Aubrey Sizemore, mother of two Showell Elementary School students, told the board she was upset and disturbed by the bomb threats.
“We feel it’s not really being taken care of,” she said.
Parent Rainy Hamrock said there was a lot of misinformation going around about the threats.
“I don’t think I necessarily feel things aren’t being taken care of because I think every school has handled it beautifully but I think we need a little bit more as far as what we’re being told,” Hamrock said. “I think the biggest problem right now is the information that’s being spread among the students.”
Parent Eric Mitchell shared more specific concerns with the school board. As the father of two Worcester County students, he said he was worried about the fact that students appeared to be evacuated the same way every time a threat occurred. He said moving students from Stephen Decatur High School to Stephen Decatur Middle School in particular could create a dangerous situation.
“I’m having a hard time with it,” he said. “It doesn’t take a lot to get a couple shots off.”
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jerry Wilson replied that school system officials were working with local law enforcement agencies to determine the best courses of action during evacuations.
“It wouldn’t be wise on our part to announce if we were going to make any changes either,” Wilson said.
Mitchell also asked whether students who stayed home in the days following bomb threats would be able to get those absences excused.
Lou Taylor, the school system’s chief operating officer, said that while it was ok for parents to pick up their children the day of an evacuation, absences during the days following could not be excused.
“Those we can’t excuse,” Taylor said. “There’s a compulsory attendance law in the state. We have to work within that.”
Mitchell maintained that he was struggling as a parent to help his children understand the recent threats.
“How are we supposed to explain this to our children?” he said. “This is not anything any of us have been through.”
Wilson said one of the county’s early childhood specialists had told him that the key to helping students cope would be ensuring they keep their trust in the school system. He also encouraged parents to communicate with their kids.
“That can go a long way through helping children in circumstances that make them fearful,” he said.
Jonathan Cook, president of the school board, reminded Mitchell and other concerned parents that many of the board members had their own children in local schools.
“We’re parents too,” he said. “We’re in this together.”
School board member Bob Rothermel said no one could predict what would happen any given day.
“We can’t live in fear,” he said. “We have to do the best we can.”
Following the meeting, Mitchell said in spite of the board’s assurances he continued to worry about student safety in Worcester County.
“I don’t feel confident with the way it’s being handled,” he said. “We’re not getting any information.”
Many concerned parents are among those who have added their names to the online petition started by former Stephen Decatur High School student Josh Carey. Carey, 21, said he started the petition at www.thepetitionsite.com after seeing through social media how upset area students were following the bomb threats made in local schools. Though it’s been a few years since he attended Stephen Decatur High School and he has no children of his own, he sympathizes with the fear students are feeling.
“There are a lot of kids genuinely terrified,” he said. “The board of education needs to take notice of how scared kids and parents are.”
Carey believes the best course of action would be to close schools until the matter is cleared up. At the least, he believes the school system should excuse absences that do occur in the wake of last week’s threats. He says high school students are only allowed five absences a year.
“There’s no doctor’s note for a bomb threat,” he said, adding that it wouldn’t be fair to fail students because of attendance if their absences were related to the bomb threats.
Parent Christina Ager also hopes to see the school system offer excused absences.
“I think it is also especially important to note that there are a lot of parents, especially those with younger children, stating how afraid their children are…,” she said. “Everyone heals at a different pace- this is something the board of education has not once addressed. In fact, all absences were unexcused during the traumatic event- this needs to change before our kids simply don’t feel safe going to school anymore.”
By Thursday morning, Carey’s petition had more than 1,400 names on it. He hopes to get 2,000 names and present it to both the Worcester County Board of Education and the Wicomico County Board of Education.
