Safety is Priority Number One

Very Important Announcement for Boone Kids:

I am going to school tomorrow, and I believe that you should, too. The rumor mill is out of control and in light of today's significance to some of you (4-20, Adolf Hitler's birthday, and the anniversary of the Columbine massacre) and the anniversary last week of Virginia Tech some people are nervous about safety issues. Here is what I know:

A threat was written on a wall at Bishop Moore High School stating "If you thought Virginia Tech was bad wait until 4-21."

A student at Boone with a sibling at Bishop Moore had a picture of the threat on her phone.

She sent the photo to her friends, who sent it to their friends. . .etc.

There was NO threat written or implied at Boone on Friday. The administrators, one of whom is a good friend of mine, searched the entire school thoroughly. Mr. C. even extra-searched the girls rooms. (Insert giggle there.)

We will have an extra cop on campus tomorrow, and all of the adults are extra-alert, but this threat issue begs for a little bit of perspective. Real criminals rarely give warnings. Real criminals rarely set something in motion so that authorities have plenty of time to stop it. And at a school with 3,200 students, stuff COULD happen, but is more likely to happen at a mall, or a theme park (where we just were!) or in another public space.

We do live in dangerous times, but I assure you that I am ready and willing to lay down my life for any of you if the situation warrants it. Tomorrow will be just another day. Please come to school.

Love,

Ms. Hilley