New York City Parents Petrified About Ongoing Bomb Threats to Specialized High School

New York City Parents Fearful Over Continuous Bomb Threats to Specialised High School

A selective high school in Brooklyn has been the target of ongoing bomb threats, amongst other forms of violence. Detectives revealed that the caller conceals their number through a VPN, making it untraceable. Frantic parents and students are appealing for a resolution after three threats were reported within a single week.

The Brooklyn Latin School, one of eight highly selective, specialised high schools across the city, has been plagued by incessant violent threats towards its students since last spring, with no apparent end in sight. One worried parent, who has a sophomore son at the school and is part of a large group expressing concern, stressed that the issue has transcended mere pranks. The parent affirmed the ban on mobile phones within schools but highlighted the anxiety and uncertainty parents face until assurance that the 800 students at Brooklyn Latin and the additional 600 students at the middle and high schools in the same building are safe is received post-evacuation.

The barrage of bomb threats commenced towards the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, initially being perceived as a student’s ploy to evade a Latin or math quiz. However, the resumption of the school year after Labor Day brought about a resurgence in threats. The frequency of threats escalated, evolving to include mentions of fires and stabbings. With the calls originating from an untraceable source through a VPN, detectives at the 90th precinct in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, have acknowledged their limited capacity to act beyond executing thorough searches to ensure the absence of credible threats.
Expressing frustration, a parent confided in PEOPLE, disclosing the NYPD’s apparent resignation to their incapacity to intervene decisively, aside from conducting routine sweeps. When queried about FBI intervention, the response received by the parent suggested contacting the FBI directly. A town hall hosted by the NYPD on Nov. 5 echoed the constraints in halting the threats, urging community members to provide any useful tips. Subsequent communication from the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner for Public Information merely asserted the absence of arrests and ongoing investigations.
Subsequently, on Dec. 8, a new threat emerged, followed by two consecutive bomb threats on Dec. 9. A dismayed father recounted an encounter with law enforcement where he was advised to relocate his child to a Manhattan school rather than keeping them in Brooklyn, overlooking Brooklyn Latin’s esteemed status as one of the city’s top public schools. Anissa Rodriguez, a concerned mother whose son is in his third year at Brooklyn Latin, expressed her distress and dismay over the recurrent bomb threats targeting a distinguished educational institution that holds national and New York accolades. The disrupted learning environment has left students disillusioned and yearning for normalcy.
In response to queries, DOE Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos reiterated the institution’s unwavering commitment to student and staff safety, stressing collaboration with local law enforcement to ensure community safety. However, the responses provided have done little to assuage parental apprehensions. A parent underscored the repeated bomb threats and pervasive fear within the school community, coupled with a perceived inadequate response from law enforcement agencies. Calls for a comprehensive, urgent investigation to guarantee the safety of the students resonated amongst the school community.
The FBI, when contacted, refrained from on-record comments but assured the possibility of issuing a statement upon reassessment. Suffering from relentless disruptions, students at the affected school voiced their desperation for the threats to cease. The prevailing sentiment among parents and students revolves around a yearning for swift, decisive action to restore a secure learning environment. Incidents involving school threats strike fear and prompt calls for rigorous security measures to safeguard educational spaces from such alarming disruptions.