Banks school officials cancel classes over threat
BANKS, Ore. - Students in the small Oregon community of Banks stayed home from school Friday after the superintendent said a parent notified them of a possible threat against students.
"A decision to call off school Friday, December 21, was a precautionary safety measure," Banks School District Superintendent Bob Huston said in an email to KATU News.
"It was triggered by a parent reporting to the police last night an alleged threat of violence, which her child overheard at the High School on December 20. The alleged act of violence was to take place on December 21," Huston said.
There are three schools in the community. All were closed Friday. Banks is located northwest of Portland.
On the Banks School District website Friday morning, a lengthy post to parents by Huston outlined safety concerns, reflection on the Sandy Hook shootings and an excerpt of a column by Eric Mortenson on civility.
The threat and cancellation of classes in Banks comes one week after 26 people, including 20 young students, were shot and killed at a grade school in Connecticut.
Several threats at schools in Oregon and Washington were investigated on Thursday. A 12-year-old girl was arrested after she sent a text about a shooting, but police said she sent it to herself.
Complete email from Banks School District Superintendent Bob Huston
RE: School Closure Due To An Alleged Threat of Violence
A decision to call off school Friday, December 21, was a precautionary safety measure. It was triggered by a parent reporting to the police last night an alleged threat of violence, which her child overheard at the High School on December 20. The alleged act of violence was to take place on December 21. Given that our campus area for all three schools is relatively small, all schools were closed. Anyone with information regarding this alleged threat of violence is encouraged to call Mark Everett or Jacob Pence at the High School immediately (503-324-2281). The investigation is continuing by the District and Sheriff's Office. All extracurricular activities scheduled for Friday, December 21 have been canceled.
God Mercy   "The Myths and  Facts"    I 've found Christians  in USA, worried about "parties" and  U.S. Constitutions.  They supposed to Prayer and  "reports" to God that their Leaders "President" walking into the wrong ways  and abusing authorities,  defensive & offensive knowingly real well, what is Right and what is Wrong. They are putting God out of "Duties,   Now, God is looking at them and saying...  "I Love You"......(Armed Forces, --CAAF,  USCAAF)  . Â
Anybody else read the letter from Bob Huston? It was very well done, and admittedly the ending to the excerpt by Eric Mortenson, made my eyes go a touch misty too.Â
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It's a shame that people like Huston and Mortenson aren't getting more media time, the world could sure use them.
The bad guys won. We now are teaching the next generation to huddle in terror rather than be vigilant and show resolve. FDR: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"
Sounds to me like some kids want a extra day off..  Hope they track down the rumor and they get some consequences out of this..
Although I understand the school's decision to error on the side of caution, I sure hope all of this settles down after the Christmas holiday when school resumes.
We live in a state of fear.
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I was at a big business the other day and was asked for my ID when returning an item. I handed the clerk my CWP. He looked at it and asked me if I was packing. I smiled and just said I can't confirm or deny. He returned the smile and said that if there was a shooting at the store he was going to get behind me and he expected me to protect him. I told him that it was a deal. He said he felt safer knowing that there was someone in the store that could stop an active shooter if needed. This, of course, is not an option in gun free zones commonly known as schools. Shooters know that there is no one there that will stop them until police arrive 10 minutes later.
@RalphCramden Now the NRA has decided to have armed volunteer officials at every school, which I think is a good idea until things settle down... Which I hope happens very soon!!!
 @Julie Young Dalby Â
The sad thing is that the schools will not like it. They will more than likely call the police to have them removed. Then shooters will be safe when they decide to make their move.
 @RalphCramden Yes and the police still have to do things slow and by the book so many more could die even after they are there like in Virgina Tech shootings.
 @FreedomRocksÂ
Exactly right.
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Most police policies require backup for violent situations. That backup could be 10 minutes away. Then police are told to park away from the scene and will walk in the last 100 feet. They they have to make entry and secure every room so that the shooter won't come up behind them. Each area has to be actively secured which requires leaving an officer at that area. If the building is huge then there needs to be a lot of officers.
 @starshadow  @FreedomRocksÂ
I am not curious. I know how the system works. Just the call takes at least 3-4 minutes, dispatch can take another few minutes, response time can vary depending on locality. Average time from 911 call to arrival can take 8-12 minutes in a urban environment like Portland.
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Then there has to be backup and that can add another 5 minutes and a quick plan made on how to deal with it. Police park aways away and walk in so that a shooter doesn't shoot the officers as they drive up.
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A 20 minute response time is accurate and another reason why police never stop these things and only document the aftermath.
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The only hope is to have someone armed on scene that can confront the shooter. There are no other options in a free society.
 @RalphCramden  @FreedomRocks Anyone else curious why it took them 20 minutes to respond to Sandy Hook?