NJ-SP Superintendent Responds to Bomb Threat

NJ-SP High SchoolPolice and school officials are following up leads as to who left a written bomb threat at North Judson-San Pierre High School last night. Superintendent Lynn Johnson says the perpetrator will be dealt with swiftly and severely both by the school and the authorities. The school handbook outlines punishment up to expulsion. If the person who left the note is over 18, he or she could be prosecuted as an adult.

A custodian found the note around 7:30 last night. Local police and firefighters, two K-9 teams and principals from all of the schools stayed at the school past midnight checking every inch of the building but found no explosives. Johnson says school was delayed two hours this morning so officials could review safety plans. All of the backpacks were searched when students came in today. Johnson adds the students were very cooperative and says there haven’t been any problems today. Attendance was 80-percent, and Johnson says it will be back to business as usual at NJ-SP on Monday.

Some parents questioned why school wasn’t cancelled for the day. Johnson refuses to let the perpetrator of threats like this undermine education.

“We don’t want them to win and say that education isn’t important. It’s very important, we take it seriously and we’re continuing to investigate. But school did happen today, and learning did happen,” Johnson said. She adds that all students who did not come to school today will have an excused absence, although that is not usually the corporation’s policy.