Taos County schools resume in-person learning after ‘possible threat’
Town removes gun show sign posted near Taos High School
All Taos Municipal Schools locations and Taos, Anansi and Vista Grande charter schools closed for the day on Friday (Aug. 19) after a male individual made a threat on social media to harm himself and “also made a comment about more school shootings happening this year,” according to New Mexico State Police Officer Mark Soriano.
“The school district is working with law enforcement to investigate and assess the possible threat, as well as review safety measures at our various campuses,” said
Valerie Trujillo, interim Taos Municipal Schools Superintendent. “Please be assured that Taos Municipal Schools has procedures in place to keep our students and staff safe while in our schools.”
Schools were closed for the entire school day, but classes were held remotely via the district’s Canvas remote learning system.
This week, however, classes resumed in-person after school officials, students and staff were deemed to be not in danger.
Trujillo asked in her email that any parents or students with information regarding “possible threats of harm to students and staff” report their concerns immediately to Taos Police Department.
Francis Hahn, a teacher at Taos High School and president of the Taos Federation of United School Employees, said the union’s executive council fully supported the “district’s decision to move to remote instruction after learning of a possible threat to our safety. School violence impacts not only students and teachers, but the whole community. Because of the inconvenience to some parents, courageous decisions such as the one made by administration may be unpopular. Therefore, this decision displays how our leadership puts safety first.”
The threat was highlighted by an allegedly unauthorized poster along Paseo del Pueblo Sur outside the entrance to Taos High School advertising the Los Alamos Gun Show. Taos High parent Dr. Jemery Kaufman reported the sign to the Town of Taos, which had it taken down.