School district closes all buildings for week

Sheriff implores parents to speak with children of harm caused by threats

All students at Oxford Community Schools are home for the rest of the week, following prior threats for additional violence.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office had cleared all buildings as safe for reopening, the district announced; however, tensions and concerns remain strong enough for the district to keep the buildings locked.

“Many in our community have expressed concern surrounding yesterday’s threat and do not feel ready to return,” the district says. “This has caused us to pause and consider the current needs and emotional well-being of our school community. Therefore, we have decided to close all district school buildings for the remainder of the week.”

Already, the district had delayed its plan to reopen the Oxford High School building at the start of the new year, following the Nov. 30 massacre that saw four students gunned down, allegedly by a 15-year-old sophomore.

At Tuesday’s school board meeting, the first since the mass shooting that shocked the entire region and brought national attention to Oxford, the district reported that the high school’s reopening would come later than planned.

The meeting came hours after the alleged shooter’s parents were in court, charged with involuntary manslaughter, accused of negligence in making the handgun available to their son, Ethan Crumbley, who was in court on Monday, charged as an adult with four counts of first-degree murder as well as terrorism causing death.

Also on Tuesday, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard implored parents to talk their children about the harm caused by threats made to school buildings or districts and the severe ramifications if caught and charged. So far, more than 30 students in the region have been charged with making threats.

In the days and weeks after the school shooting at Oxford High School, districts and school buildings across metro Detroit and even some across the state, including in Mt. Pleasant, have suffered disruptions from students posting threats online or on social media or even on notes left in bathrooms.

One middle school in Waterford saw two eighth graders charged with making threats on different days, leading to incarceration at Oakland County Children’s Village and serious criminal charges levied.