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Published Saturday, December 19, 2009 in Local
Meriwether evacuates 5 schools after telephone bomb threats
By Alex McRae
The Newnan Times-Herald
Five Meriwether County schools were evacuated Friday afternoon after receiving telephoned bomb threats, according to Martha Ann Todd, assistant superintendent for School Improvement for the Meriwether County Schools.
Todd said bomb threats were received at Unity Elementary in Luthersville, George E. Washington Elementary in Woodbury, Manchester Middle School, Manchester High School and Greenville High School.
After the threats were received, authorities were notified and the Meriwether County Sheriff's Office led a search of the threatened schools. Local police departments in affected municipalities were also investigating, Todd said.
Once the threats were received, the schools followed established emergency procedures and evacuated students from the schools, moving them to previously designated areas to wait until the threats could be assessed and dealt with, Todd said.
Most evacuated students were held on buses until they could be safely returned to their schools and sent home as usual. Many students were likely to be delayed going home by the action.
By 3 p.m. Friday, some schools had been cleared of any bomb threat and students were being returned to follow normal end-of-day schedules, according to Todd. Searches of the remaining schools were still under way at 3 p.m.
Friday was the last day of school for Meriwether County students and teachers before Christmas break. Todd was not aware of who made the threats and said law enforcement agencies were conducting a thorough investigation of all circumstances surrounding the incident.
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If the situation hadn't been just a threat and a real bomb would have sadly been placed in a school, having a sick child in the cold would be much better than a sick child delayed in the school when the device exploded. Please understand procedures are in place for the safety of the people in harm's way. Regarding calls not answered - noone would have been in the office. Once again, procedures for the safety of all persons involved require the immediate removal of everyone from the building. This isn't a school system requirement. Rather it is mandated by the state. Part of accreditation requires such implementations be in place.
Posted by teacher at 6:42 PM
Grandmother...why would you send sick children to school anyway...also...if there is a bomb in the building...I wouldnt be sitting there answering phones. Where is the common sense here...I am sure the school did what they could...if they were on buses, they couldnt have been that cold. Be grateful your grandchild is alive instead of making a stink out of nothing...and please keep your children home if they are too sick to stand outside for a few minutes for a bomb threat!
Posted by confused at 6:39 PM
I was not happy with how the situation was handled,sick children sent out in cold with no outer gear. No one answering phones, at school or police department, no making parents aware of crisis.
Posted by grandmother at 1:47 PM
more likely a bottle of moonshine with a matchbook taped to it
Posted by Armchair Vigilante at 10:24 AM
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Parent
12/20/2009
Link To This Comment
I'm glad safety was put first however the children could have been taken into a building and not left to stand out in the cold and rain for more close to 2 hours. My child is now sick and is it the idiot who called this in that's going to pay the unecessary bill, no it will be me!!
Posted by Parent at 12:14 AM