By Jessica Brown

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Baltimore County Public Schools are grappling with a spike in student threats, causing alarm among educators and parents alike. The district has witnessed several incidents over recent days, including threats penned by students at Harford Hills Elementary and Sandy Plains Elementary schools. According to a letter sent by Harford Hills Principal Lisa Balmages, a student scribbled “highly inappropriate and threatening statements” in a notebook, targeting fellow students and staff for potential harm. The school acted swiftly, ensuring the student was removed from the classroom and underwent an investigation led by a school safety officer, which later deemed the threat non-credible.

Parental concern has escalated, evidenced by reactions such as those of Kelly Chase, who has grandchildren at Harford Hills. Chase expressed deep unease to WMAR-2 News, stating, “I was a little shaken up I mean these are little kids so I’m very bothered by this.” Despite reassurances from school officials, the emotional toll is palpable, as parents like Julienne Barrientos contend with the necessity of difficult conversations with their children about the harrowing realities of their classrooms.

Further concern followed when Sandy Plains Elementary School Principal Christina Davis alerted parents to similar threats made by a student. A correspondence reported by Fox Baltimore detailed that this individual, too, was swiftly removed from the academic environment, with subsequent investigations concluding that there was no credible threat. BCPS’s response to these incidents includes the provision of “appropriate services” for the involved students and serious consequences in line with school policy.

As BCPS addresses these unsettling events, principals are urging greater vigilance. Davis advised families to closely monitor what their children are seeing and hearing on the news, watching on TV, and searching on the internet.