“Given the recent events, and to ensure the safety of all students and staff, we are exercising with extreme caution while we let the police continue their investigation”
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Two Leduc schools were closed Friday following a social media post reportedly threatening gun violence.
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Ecole Leduc Jr. High School (ELJHS) and Leduc Composite High School (LCHS) were closed on Friday and all classes, extracurricular activities, field trips, sports and other activities cancelled, Bill Romanchuk, Black Gold School Division superintendent, wrote in a letter to parents posted on the division’s website.
“(Thursday) evening the Leduc RCMP made us aware of a social media post threatening gun violence against ELJHS and LCHS students and staff,” said Romanchuk.
“It is early in the police investigation and we cannot comment on the validity of the threat. However, given the recent events, and to ensure the safety of all students and staff, we are exercising extreme caution while we let the police continue their investigation.”
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Romanchuk told Postmedia Friday afternoon that the recent school shootings in the US have the public at a “heightened awareness” but the division would have the same approach to these threats if they happened a month ago.
“Anytime there’s a threat, we do have an action team that responds to that. So, we activated our emergency response, we had the principals of the two schools involved in that,” said Romanchuk.
He said it was too early to announce a decision on whether the two schools would be open on Monday.
In an update Friday afternoon, Romanchuk said the division will update parents by Sunday at 6 pm to determine whether ELJHS and LCHS will be open on Monday.
“We’re working closely with the RCMP and we’re taking our cues from them,” he said.
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“They’re the ones that go out and catch bad guys, we educate students, so if they’re going to tell us it’s safe to go back, we’re going back, if they’re telling us it’s not safe, we ‘re not going back.”
Romanchuk said the RCMP discovered the threats and contacted the division around 9:30 pm Thursday night.
Mounties said Leduc RCMP were notified of a threat being made directed at the two schools via social media around 5:40 pm, on Thursday.
“Threats like these are taken seriously and have a significant impact on students, staff and families. We take them very seriously and will investigate thoroughly as they have a very negative impact on our community’s feeling of safety and mental wellbeing” says Leduc RCMP Sgt. Scott Lande.
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Romanchuk requested students, staff, parents and community members stay away from the schools on Friday.
All other Leduc schools remained open, however, Romanchuk said there was about a 40 per cent drop in attendance at the other division schools in Leduc on Friday.
“I’m going to put this down as they are being worried, and rightly so. We’re going to continue to follow it and do the best we can,” he said.
Anyone with information regarding the threats is asked to contact the Leduc RCMP or Crime Stoppers as Mounties continue to investigate.
A potential threat to Paul Kane High School in St. Albert Friday morning initiated a separate RCMP investigation.
In an update addressed to families, the school administration said Mounties have assured them the situation was under control and it was safe for students and staff to be at the school.
“We wanted to address some of the rumors that have been circulated about this situation,” read the update. “Please be assured that we are not under lockdown, all students and staff are safe and classes are carrying on as usual.”
The letter asked those with any information regarding the situation to contact the RCMP.
