"Once they (police) arrive, they are in charge," Donahue said.It's a shame that some students didn't feel safe during the evacuation, but what can the school really do about that?
I agree with the comment below that bussing students to another township campus isn't to be considered adequately neutral ground. Wagner Farm Park may have been a better destination. Bring some soccer balls, let the kids run around a little.
And I'd just suggest that many families have selected Millstone primarily because nothing exciting ever happens here! Not the burglary/fire at Albivi's, not the Denver Nuggets star's car crash, and not the various acts of vandalism, some even at the middle school.
I'm glad they had a plan, I'm glad it kinda worked but, God help me, you won't catch my kids in that school. Jeff described how such threats are tracked down with modern telephony, so I haven't any doubt the perpetrator will be caught.
My housekeeper mentioned this to me ... and I had noticed the neighborhood kids home, out playing, around lunchtime:
Millstone Middle School evacuated after bomb threat - Asbury Park Press, 01/08/09:
About 800 students in grades 5-8 are enrolled in the school, according to the state education department.I mentioned this at my son's preschool during pick-up, and parents with children in the public school system were simply pleased that the parental notification system worked as promised. They received status updates on the telephone.
One ill-informed mother remarked, "You know, these are 14, 15, 16 year-olds, probably one of them didn't want to take a test this morning." No, these students are younger than that.
UPDATE: Students returned to school after evacuation sparked by bomb threat - Asbury Park Press, 1/8/09:
Students were bused to the Millstone Primary School while the middle school was searched then bused back when it was safe, she said.I'm relieved no bombs detonated ... because me and the older boys have show tickets for a production there later this month!
3 comments:
Im a 8th grader and I was in the evacuation. Though it was pretty scary, all of this kids, including me, were very excited-because in Millstone there is never anytyhing exciting happening. I was very angry at the school though for just telling the students as we were shuffled out of the school that we were having a "special event." Some kids thought it was minoxide poisining but i for one heard Mr.Howell say a police "im prepared to evacuate the school" then the police walked by a garbage can and then said "it could even be in there!" This is where I guessed it was a bomb threat. As I was in the bus driving to the primary school, the teachers were saying "ohh its just a drill" but then I saw four police cars going triple the speed limit with their sirins on--explaining to me it was not a drill.
Well i just found out about your blog by searching "millstone middle school evacuated" in google and I think I am going to follow it. Great job throwing this site together.
-Westin Lohne
Some kids thought it was minoxide poisining but i for one heard Mr.Howell say TO a police "im prepared to evacuate the school" then the police walked by a garbage can and then said "it could even be in there!"
just a little error.
My daughter was also involved in the evacuation today at the middle school
It was not until she came home I found what had happened
Somehow I was not notified by phone ..that needs to be fixed.
These middle schoolers are way too mature and know whats going on in the world
and I understand the whole panicking part but they all really knew that something was not right.
Worst of all my daughter was told she will be punished if she used her phone while on the bus
She wanted to know I was ok and her sisters in the other millstone schools
I have friends who perished in the world trade center and alot of relatives where able to have a last word and cherish that.
Thank god nothing came out of this but do not think it was a great idea to bus to another school in millstone, just in case god forbid something really happened and the person called the wrong school
I thought of this because when I call my childs school there are many prompts to go through before picking the school and if you are not familiar as an outsider would not be maybe they contacted the wrong school(If it was an outsider)
Like I said thank god this was a hoax In the way that it was false
But my daughter was hyperventilating and very nervous when she recalled the days events
I hope the person responsible is caught VERY fast!
SINCERLY,WORRIED MOM
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