A copy of this letter has been emailed to all BCSD parents/guardians districtwide.
Dear parent/guardian:
I am writing to let you know that the Bethlehem Police Department is investigating an incident in which two Bethlehem Central High School students made verbal threats of violence while at school. Both students are alleged to have said they would “shoot up the school.”
The incident, which took place at the high school on Friday, May 5, was not known to school officials until after it was reported to police on Tuesday evening, May 9. The police immediately began investigations into both threatening statements and notified school administrators. The school district is cooperating with the police in the department’s investigations.
The district also immediately began its own investigations of the threats and will follow disciplinary procedures in accordance with the school’s code of conduct. The students who allegedly made the threatening statements are not at school.
I would like to commend the individuals (a student and parent) who took action in reporting this incident to the police. I would also like to thank the Bethlehem Police Department and our School Resource Officer Detective Mike Berben for providing a swift response to this reported incident.
We consistently ask students if they see something to say something. It is important to remind students to seek out an adult if threatening language is used anywhere in writing, online or in person. Please remind your children that there are many trusted adults in their lives who can help when they are unsure of what to do in situations like the one reported to the police this week. Students need to know that it is never acceptable to even joke about threatening a school. These are serious matters and they will be pursued as such.
We must work together to assure our students that maintaining a safe environment in our schools is and always will be, our first priority.
As always, thank you for your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at jmonroe@bethlehemschools.org or by phone at 518-439-7098.
Sincerely,
Jody Monroe
Superintendent of Schools