Today’s Education in the Media blog looks at yesterday’s reports of bomb threats to schools.
Bomb threats
Yesterday, Monday 19 March, a large number of schools received a bomb threat that contained a request for money. According to reports, the threat said that a bomb had been placed on the school grounds and if demands for money were not met, it would detonate.
Police say the threats, that apparently targeted schools across the country, are being treated as a hoax and they are investigating.
The Mail, Telegraph, Evening Standard, Daily Mirror, Sun as well as several local papers covered the story.
Some schools were evacuated as a precaution. We are clear that any decision to close a school should be taken by the school in conjunction with the police and Local Authority.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
Where any school receives a threat, real or otherwise, they should contact the police and follow their advice. All schools have clear emergency plans in place, which have been agreed with police and the local authority.
It is a criminal offence to make threats of this kind and should they occur they will be investigated by police.
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