Threat of Another 9/11 Closes Detorit Area Schools on Same Day as the Virginia Tech Shootings

When school officials canceled school today at four Rochester, Michigan schools, undoubtedly they had fears of a Columbine-style incident in their own community. Little did they know that later that day, a worse scenario would unfold at one of the nation's leading universities, Virginia Tech. While some parents questioned the wisdom of shuttering two of Rochester Community Schools high schools, Rochester Adams High School and Rochester High School, as well as two of the school district's middle schools, Van Hoosen Middle School and West Middle School.

Authorities state that the threat against the four schools was too detailed to be ignored. According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Department, an anonymous threat under the heading "All The Students Will Die" specifically named the four schools, discussed specific explosives to be used." (Martindale and Greenwood) The e-mail went on to state that what occurred on 9/11 would pale in comparison to what would happen at Rochester Community Schools on April 15, 2007. Fortunately, school administrators acted on the threats before anything could occur.

Unfortunately, no such warning occurred at Virginia Tech. What occurred at Virginia Tech can only be described as a massacre. The incident, which began early Monday morning, the same day that school was canceled at four Rochester, Michigan schools, is now the deadliest school shooting in American history. "'Today, the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions,' said Virginia Tech's president, Charles Steger. 'The university is shocked, and indeed horrified.'" (Lindsey) Virginia Tech is under national scrutiny, as students weren't notified until two hours after two people were killed on campus. Over thirty students were killed in a shooting spree that occurred some time later. As a result of the shooting incident, there are over 30 Virginia Tech students dead and over 20 injured. Several students underwent surgery Monday afternoon.

While their will be innumerable lessons learned from the Virginia Tech shootings and its aftermath, there are also lessons to be learned from the incident in the Rochester Community Schools School District. Unfortunately, all such threats need to be taken seriously, and when what appears to be an isolated incident occurs, action to secure the rest of the student body, whether a few hundred students or several thousand, needs to place. Until measures can be taken to address the fundamental issues behind shootings at the middle school, high school, and university levels, more money will be needed to ensure that students of all ages are safe.

Sources:

Greenwood, Tom and Mike Martindale. "Threat Closes Four Rochester Schools." The Detroit News.
http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070416/UPDATE/704160387

Lindsey, Sue. "Gunman kills 32, self, in nation's deadliest shooting spree." The Detroit Free Press.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070416/NEWS07/70416015