Safety meetings to follow bogus gun threat

Police and school officials say a gun-related threat circulated around Madison High School through word of mouth and social media Feb. 21 was not genuine.

The situation, about which officials became aware late on Feb. 21, was supposed to take place Feb. 22, Madison Township Police Chief Matthew Byers and Madison Schools Superintendent Angela Smith confirmed Feb. 22.

Byers said all of the rumors they saw were second hand and investigators have been unable to

Jennifer Davidson posted: “Phone message should of been broadcasted through infinite campus automated calling !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ”

Another Facebook user, Gretchen LaRusch, began her comment with: “How infuriating that not one parent received a phone call/text message/email about something this serious.”

In a phone interview Feb. 22, Smith said that, given the late hour at which the threat was determined to be bogus, and the fact that the district is not in the business of spreading rumors but, rather, dispelling them, Madison Schools did not send out an alert overnight.

“There was no incident,” she said Feb. 22. “There was a rumor about a student and that rumor was thoroughly investigated and proven to be false.”

Byers said that officials spoke with several people regarding the incident Feb. 21, that the related investigation is ongoing and that no arrests have been made.

He added that, although they were able to determine the threat was not credible, there was still an increased police presence at the school Feb. 22.

“We took steps to ensure safety and are continuing to investigate further,” he said.

In her letter to the community, Smith points out that school safety was the main topic during the Feb. 20 School Board meeting and that the district has a program of community meetings scheduled for the week of Feb. 26 to address that very topic.

“We are also going to host community meetings in each building next week to discuss safety and address frequently asked questions,” Smith writes. “I would encourage you to attend those meetings.” The schedule is: • Madison Middle School: 6 p.m. Feb. 27

• Madison High School: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27

• North Elementary School: 6 p.m. Feb. 28

• South Elementary School: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

Smith’s letter also states there will be a continued police presence “in and around our school district.”

“We have School Resource Officers in each of our elementary, middle and high school buildings,” Smith’s letter reads. “In addition, the district also encourages the use of the Safe School Helpline... 1-800-418-6423 ext. 359. The website is SafeSchoolHelpline.com or text 66746 and put in tips.”

The Feb. 21 threat at Madison High School was the second in as many days at a Lake County school district. Two juveniles were detained after threats were made against Willoughby South High School on Snapchat Feb. 19.

Smith said she’s aware of similar activity in school districts around the country after 17 people were killed Feb. 14 by a gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

She added that student safety is her top priority.

“At the end of the day I want our students to be safe and feel good about going to school,” she said. “That is my mission. Nothing is more important.” trace them back to an original source.

Smith concurred, adding that, by late in the night of Feb. 21, investigators from both the Madison School District and Madison Township Police Department found the threat not to be a credible one.

As a result, Smith said, classes went on as scheduled and the district opted not to send out an alert overnight to the district’s constituents.

In a letter distributed to Madison School District families through its Infinite Campus website on Feb. 22, Smith confirmed the threat was false and school officials felt it was safe for students to attend their regularly scheduled classes that day.

“The Madison Township Police Department thoroughly investigated the rumor. School administrators were contacted and were kept abreast of the investigation,” the letter reads. “I am thankful to inform you that the rumor was proven untrue and the police determined there was no threat to student safety.”

School officials did not initiate an automated alert to parents’ home or mobile phones. But the district did post statements on its website and Facebook page on Feb. 21.

Some district constituents voiced their frustration, in the comments section of the Facebook post, about not being notified via text or an automated voice call before classes started Feb. 22.