Coatesville school officials are frustrated after a shooting threat made against the high school Thursday morning led to its fourth closure of the month.
School officials say the latest threat occurred Thursday just before 7 a.m. when a tip was received over the Safe2Say line, indicating a school shooting would happen around 7:10 a.m. School District leaders say they consulted with police, re-routed buses home and sent students who were already at school home for the day. A second Safe2Say tip came in after 7 a.m., indicating a shooting would occur between 7:10 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
"We are extremely frustrated by these continued disruptions and have requested a meeting with the PA Attorney General and the administrators of the statewide anonymous Safe2Say tip line to address this troubling situation," Interim Superintendent Dr. Richard F. Dunlap Jr. wrote in a letter to parents. "Safety must be our priority and we simply cannot ‘hope' that these are false threats. Each one must be investigated and taken seriously.
As a result of the closings, the district is extending the first marking period by three days to November 3. "Again, we share in your extreme frustration about this situation. Unfortunately, schools nationwide have seen an increase in threats and even locally, many schools have faced closures as a result of threats," Dunlap said. "We will continue to work diligently to address this.