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| Students were check this morning at the door of the school. |
Students are encountering more security on the contiguous campuses of Crittenden County High and Middle schools today following yesterday’s finding of a threat scrawled on a boys’ bathroom stall.
Special procedures were put into place as students arrived and entered the building for classes this morning. There was also a heavy police presence on campus.
Supt. Vince Clark said K9 Resources was contracted to sweep schools before dawn. That started at 5:30am and every inch was searched by weapons-sniffing dogs.
As students arrived, they entered through two doors – in front and behind the school – where their backpacks were examined and hand-held metal detectors were used to scan their bodies.
Police will be on campus all day today and perhaps for days to come. Clark said the situation will be assessed on a daily basis to determine whether a need for added security is necessary moving forward from this threat. Some posts on social media last night created additional concern for authorities and one student has been detained and questioned regarding those social media statements.
Clark said some schools are seeking restitution for costs associated with lockdowns like yesterday when individuals causing the problems are identified. From police costs, cafeteria losses, classroom restitution and the expense of searches by special units, the superintendent the penalty could be astronomical.
Not only that, students were terrified yesterday during the lockdown. There were reports of children crying in classrooms and writing prayers on their arms.
Threats are taken very seriously by school officials, and when they are made, what follows can be very disruptive and traumatic for students. The precautions, however, are warranted in these uncertain times.
