Hateful, Violent, Threatening Letters Sent to Students at Bancroft School

WORCESTER, MA — The Bancroft School is on alert, and investigating, after three recent instances where threatening, hateful and violent letters were sent to a group of students who attend the school.

Earlier in April, a small group of Bancroft Upper School students found hateful and intimidating letters in their school mailboxes and lockers, Bancroft said in an announcement to the school community.

Head of School Trey Cassidy and Head of Upper School Roy Gillette worked with these students and their parents, and also coordinated with school's security to investigate and monitor the situation.

These same students last week received another letter, this time with threats of violence. Bancroft then called upon Worcester police to investigate, and the school increased security in the Upper School, increased adult presence in student common areas, and informed the entire school community of the situation.

School officials now believe that a Bancroft Upper School student is responsible for the notes.

“By intentionally making this information public, we were following the lead set by the students who were threatened,” said Cassidy. “They spoke to trusted adults and rallied their peers. They refused to sit quietly and allow the situation to go unchallenged.”

On April 27, the same students received another note, this time with escalated threats of violence. The targeted students were taken from class and dismissed to the care of their parents.

There was no specific threat to other students, said Bancroft in an announcement, but school alerted all families, instituted a partial lockdown, and executed a secure and orderly early dismissal of the Upper School. The school also instituted additional security measures in other parts of the campus, which allowed classes to continue in the lower grades, said the release.

In an effort to work with authorities, Bancroft canceled Upper School classes on Thursday, April 28.

“We stand in defiance of this unacceptable and unlawful behavior, and want people to know this is not who we are,” said Gillette in a statement.

Located on Shore Drive, the Bancroft School serves students in pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12.