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Howard response angers parents Say school should�ve revealed graffiti threat sooner By DAMIAN MANN Even with security beefed up Monday at Howard Elementary School after a recent threat of violence, only a third of students showed up for class. School officials kept the children in classrooms all day because someone had scrawled graffiti on school walls March 31 threatening to start a "shootout" this Monday. As a result, the Medford Police Department and the Medford School District brought in officers and security personnel to keep the school secure. Police officers have interviewed a suspect, but the minor hasn�t admitted to making threats of violence against the school. Some parents have criticized the school�s handling of the situation, particularly because officials didn�t notify parents immediately of the potential danger. Parents received letters Friday about the threats. "We are forming a coalition of parents, and we�re going to the school board to protest how this was handled," said Kymberly Brooks. "My daughter is scared to go to school right now, and she�s only in third grade," she said. Children were traumatized when school officials instructed them on how to protect themselves if a gunman came onto school grounds, said Brooks. Children who came to school Monday were treated to breakfast and lunch in their classrooms. Principal Sharon Charles said some of the students were joking that they were receiving room service. "It gave the teachers and the students a chance to get to know each other better." Sympathizing with parents who were scared, Charles said, "I don�t blame them for being upset. We just had to do what we thought was best for the kids." The school didn�t alert parents immediately because officials hoped to catch the perpetrator of the graffiti. "If we had sent the letter home any sooner we would not have had any kids here the next day." Charles added, "Do we scare a community unnecessarily?" Although the school prepared for an emergency lockdown in case of violence, Charles said, "This wasn�t a lockdown. It was actually a very calm day." Police were called in immediately after the school discovered the graffiti, written with skateboard wax on a wall and on windows. The message included foul language and the taunt, "you�ll never find out who I am." The graffiti was erased before children returned to class last week. Karol Broderick, who has three children enrolled at Howard, said, "I�m kind of scared to send my kids back tomorrow." She believes the school should have notified parents immediately once it became aware of the threat. "If my child is going to be in jeopardy, they should have let me know," said Broderick. "This person could have done it (the shooting) the day before." Both Brooks and Broderick plan to attend a school board meeting to protest the district�s handling of the matter. Broderick said, "This is something I thought my children would never have to go through." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.