Emotions are high following ongoing threats at Bradford Area School District, with parents demanding punishment for the alleged perpetrators and others threatening to remove their children from public school.
Several parents commented on The Era’s Facebook page after police responded to a reported threat of violence at Bradford Area High School only days after Floyd C. Fretz Middle School was the site of several threats as well.
Both schools were deemed safe, but parents are demanding that more action be taken to ensure the safety of their children.
Officials need to make an example of children, showing the ramifications of threats being lodged, said Jennifer Thomas, who has two children in elementary.
“Show the other kids that think that this is a joke what will happen if you do this,” she said. “Show them that not only is it (affecting) them today but ruining their future. Show them that dream job (they’ve) been wanting is never going to happen with that on their record.”
Students making threats also need to be punished to the full extent possible, to make them aware that police aren’t taking threats as a joke, Thomas said.
“Parents also need to talk to their kids and tell them what’s going to happen if you think about doing this,” Thomas said. “All ages need to be talked to not just the high school and middle school kid.”
Julie Fowler Bizzak said she feels the same way.
“I have grandsons that go to GGB but no matter what this is very serious and scary. I think these kids that make threats should be sent to jail and hopefully it will scare them. If they’re doing it for attention then maybe (their) parents need parenting classes,” she said.
Troy Lewis believes that parents and children both need to be charged. He said the parents are responsible to speak to their children about what is happening in their lives and to try to put a stop to it before “it gets out of hand.”
Serious charges need to be placed on children who make a threat, said Sue Bell.
“And maybe the next child who thinks about being next in line for the attention will maybe think twice,” she said. “I understand (they’re) kids and think (it’s) funny, but there is nothing funny about this. (They’re) interrupting classes and getting the whole town in an uproar for what — a laugh.”
Frances Lee, who graduated from Bradford Area High School in 1982 and now works in a school in Alabama, sees a lack of parenting as the main problem.
“They are trying (too) much to be their friend,” Lee said. “Parents need to step up and teach their kids respect for life, respect for other adults and just respect for everyone.”
Joshua Blotzer said he doesn’t harbor any concern over the recent threats, saying that this happens after every school shooting.
“It happened after the Columbine shooting when I was a kid,” he said. “I just hope the school district doesn’t overreact to what is nothing more than attention-seeking behavior by immature teenagers.”
Aimee Claypool expressed concern over parents rushing to the schools.
“If there is a major problem, the city needs to be able to get emergency vehicles through! I also feel that after things are clear, that the school needs to allow kids to notify their parents, even if it’s a wellness check,” she said.
Terry Wankel is a parent of three students in the Bradford Area School District. He said while the recent events are scary, he trusts in local police officers to keep students safe.
“I applaud the police department for relaying information as soon as they can to keep parents informed,” he said.
Wankel said he believes that the responsibility is on parents to talk to their children, not the school.
“It isn’t on the school to tell the children that it’s wrong to make threats, as a prank, or seriously. They should know already,” he said. “I encourage every parent to take some time this weekend and talk to your kids.”
