The incidents happened on Monday and Feb. 19 when two unspecified threats written in pencil were discovered in restrooms — the first one on a block, the second on a stall, Scarberry said. He said the student responsible for Monday’s threat has confessed, while the student from the Feb. 19 threat has not.
Neither student has been arrested, Scarberry said, and they are not attending school. The two students did not collaborate together on the threats, he said.
Regarding the second incident, Scarberry said the Fairborn Police Department visited two students’ homes on Tuesday, and the school was searched as well. Nothing was found at the locations.
“The Fairborn Police Department has been wonderful,” Scarberry said. “It’s a critical relationship for a school district to be able to have. … These things work their way out. Kids make mistakes and do some silly things and it surfaces. Other kids start to talk, and we were able to work together and find out the who-done-it, if you will.”
There was no search completed for the first threat because it was not “deemed,” Scarberry said.
“The district has no reason to believe this is a true threat or that there is any danger to students or staff,” the district said last week in a statement.
Sgt. Paul Hicks said Wednesday the police department will continue to investigate the incidents. In addition to the district’s one resource officer, patrol officers have been visible at the school while students have been arriving and leaving. Officers also are visiting the school throughout the school day.
The school district is asking parents to speak with their children about writing messages on school property and the seriousness of such vandalism.
Baker Middle School administrators sent letters home to parents regarding new safety measures for students and staff this week. Staff members will be in the hallways during class changes, and students will not be allowed to carry backpacks once the school day begins.
Each classroom has a sign-in and sign-out sheet for students, and students must have passes if they leave a classroom for any reason. Scarberry said the district has not determined how long these measures will be in place.
“We want to make sure this behavior stops,” Scarberry said. “We have more control of some things with the kids moving from area to area. We have to take it very serious for the safety of every kid. Everyone gets inconvenienced for a few. We’re not going to tolerate this stuff anymore.”
School informational updates are released via “E-Communication” on the district’s website at www.fairborn.k12.oh.us.
Baker Middle School has 960 students in grades six through eight.
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