Parents On Edge Over Bomb, Shooting Threats Made Against Schools

OAK LAWN, IL — School authorities were able to immediately identify a young teen who posted a violent threat against Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School on social media, according to a safety update sent by Dist. 123 to parents Tuesday morning.

The threat was apparently posted by an OLHMS student late Monday evening. Oak Lawn and Hometown police were immediately notified and are now working directly with the family and student who made the alleged threat, which has been deemed non-credible.

“Much of what we are seeing is generated on social media and similar to what other suburban schools have been recently receiving,” D123 Supt. Dr. Paul Enderle said. “These threats are non-credible, and students and staff are not in danger at school.”

The alleged threat appears to be a copycat of several days of texts containing bomb threats that have gone out to students at several south suburban high schools, mainly in Districts 218, 229 and 230. The message posted by the middle school student does not appear to be connected to those made against other area high schools.

Enderle said that as news of the Monday night’s incident spread, additional threats were made against OLHMS Tuesday morning. Oak Lawn police posted additional officers in the middle school and around the neighborhood when children reported to class as a “strictly precautionary measure.”

“Children and staff are safe, District 123 schools will remain in session, and we are in close communication with the Oak Lawn and Hometown police,” Enderle said in his email to parents. “District 123 administrative staff will be working closely with law enforcement in an attempt to identify and hold accountable all of the individuals involved.”

The non-credible threats have caused significant disruption to area high schools, forcing them to dismiss classes or to go into soft lockdown, limiting access inside buildings and to outside campus areas. Local law enforcement and school have also had to substantially divert resources to investigations away from classrooms and the community.

“As with all matters of safety, we have taken this very seriously and will continue to monitor these occurrences carefully,” Enderle said.

“We encourage students, staff, and parents to continue to practice “see something, say something.” Please immediately report threats or suspicions to District 123 administration or your local police department,” the district superintendent continued. “To ensure that only the most appropriate and accurate information is communicated within our learning community, we ask that before spreading rumors, posting unverified information online, or responding on social media that members of our community fact-check information first.”

Parents Concerned

The threats school and law enforcement authorities that have deemed non-credible are causing considerable unease among parents, who are wondering if it is safe to send their children to school despite reasssurances from officials that schools are safe.

Suzi Collins-Schrode and her husband moved to Oak Lawn five years ago because they were looking for a good education and safer learning environment for their children.

“As of late, this does not seem to be the case,” Collins-Schrode told Patch. “In the past month, there have been various bomb threats, police dispatched, fights and shooting threats.

Collins-Schrode said she kept her three children home from school Tuesday because of the text circulating Richards High School the day before about bombs being placed in the building and threats to shoot kids.

“They’re tell me not to worry and I’m not going to worry, but there are people who are and that’s what’s creating mass panic,” said Collins-Schrode, whose husband wants to take their four children out of Oak Lawn schools and home-school them. “I’m just worried about what’s going to happen next. I’m trying to get answers.”

She specifically wants to know why Oak Lawn Community High School dismissed school Friday morning, when students at multiple high schools started receiving the texts containing bomb threats, and Richards, which is in another school district, put its building on soft lockdown.

“I got a call [from Richards] today that my son has an unexused absence and yet I never got a call about bomb threat,” she said. “I know dozens of parents are questioning this.”