16th Threat Of Violence At Coatesville High School

COATESVILLE, PA — Coatesville Area School District is providing Chromebooks to students to ensure that learning will continue virtually if the threats of violence continue to result in school closures, officials said Wednesday.

"While this is not ideal, it can help us to keep our students learning during this troubling time of disruption,” Dr. Richard F. Dunlap Jr., interim superintendent, said.

“We encountered a shortage of Chromebooks this summer when a number of them were broken and/or unaccounted for when they were collected at the end of the 2021-22 school year.”

The Chromebooks are a temporary solution to ensure that students will continue to work in the event the threats continue.

Multiple threats on the school Safe2Say tip line Sunday night resulted in the high school and intermediate school closing on Monday.

“We are working with local, state, and federal authorities to put an end to these false reports and will prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, anyone who engages in this unlawful behavior,” Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said “These disruptions and attempts at causing fear will not be tolerated.”

For the second time in a week, students were rerouted home after they buses had picked them up on Monday.

School officials met Monday with Ryan, Chester County Emergency Management Services, the Pennsylvania Attorney General, the Director of the Safe2Say tip line, a representative from the FBI, Caln Police Chief Joe Elias, and Coatesville School District Chief of Police Frank Galbraith.

A 17-year-old has been charged with making threats last week and is awaiting disposition of his case.

Coatesville Advocates For Change Schedule Hearing

The Coatesville Advocates For Change, a nonprofit organization, is hosting a public hearing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov.12 in the Tabernacle Baptist Church, 819 Coates St., Coatesville to discuss the district’s disciplinary practices. The public is invited to attend.

The Coatesville Advocates for Change group is convinced that the community is in imminent danger of a riotous experience, according to a press announcement provided by Michelle A. Muhammad, organizer. For more information, call 443-718-0046.