Shaker Heights Superintendent Issues Statement on Bomb Threats

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH - Shaker Heights High School received three anonymous bomb threats Nov. 14. The school went into lockdown and students were dismissed early. Police swept the building and found no evidence of a credible threat. Classes resumed, like normal, Nov. 15.

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings released a statement to Shaker Heights families today. He said police are continuing to investigate the threat made against the schools. The district had earlier suggested that it was possible the threats were connected to the social media incident that saw two students disciplined for allegedly exposing a classmate's racism.

Hutchings also said that parents who requested a callback Nov. 15 regarding the situation and what happened will receive one today. You can read his full letter to the community below.

A Message from the Superintendent
I would like to thank our students, faculty/staff, families and community for your understanding of the early dismissal today due to three bomb threats. Our number one priority is the safety of our students and faculty/staff. All stakeholders worked together to allow the Shaker Heights Police Department to assess the situation. SHPD is continuing to investigate the source of the threats.
I would also like to commend our High School administration and faculty/staff for following our early dismissal protocol. It is so important for us to have protocols and safety plans in place, and today demonstrated how being proactive and having a plan can allow us to be more efficient and effective in dealing with critical situations.
Our staff took many calls today and we were able to try to work with those who had questions. We will be returning the telephone calls to those who requested a call back.
Tomorrow, we are going to provide our High School teachers with some guidance and resources so they may help students process the situation, and there are always counselors available to talk when needed.
I also ask that families have these discussions at home. An open discussion about safety precautions and family plans helps to eliminate confusion when a critical event takes place. Ready.gov provides some helpful suggestions on making a family communications plan that can be applied to a range of scenarios.
We will not take these threats lightly. This situation was a complete disruption of our learning environment. We will not tolerate threats, intimidation or scare tactics and will work with the Shaker Heights Police Department to help us identify the offenders and hold them fully responsible to the highest degree for their actions.
As we return to some normalcy tomorrow, we are ready to welcome students back to Shaker Heights High School to continue our educational process, as well as provide the supports needed to move forward.
Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

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