School officials closed Pacific Cascade Middle School in Issaquah again Thursday after a letter was left outside a teacher’s classroom threatening violence against four staff members Friday.
According to a news release, the note made “unspecified threats to do violence at lunch or during the school’s winter assembly on Friday and makes reference to having access to a gun.”
Students were picked up by buses, and they arrived back home around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. The Thursday closure was announced shortly before 6 a.m.
“We are working closely with local law enforcement who are at the school now,” a district statement said Wednesday. “We will continue to have an increased police presence at PCMS while we, and law enforcement, investigate the threat.”
Four teachers were named and threatened in the note. The author claimed to have a gun and would use it in the lunchroom or at the winter assembly on Friday.
Regardless of the decision, several parents told KIRO-7 they will likely keep their children home.
“I think it's kind of freaky that, like, they typed it up," said Blaise Cary, a sixth grader at the school.
Cary noted this is the second threat delaying school at PCMS this year. On November 4th, a 13-year-old girl was expelled after sending an email threatening to bring a gun to school.
Cary said even if school opens in the morning, he's not sure he'll feel safe.
“If they found whoever did this and got them to explain what happened, then I would feel safe,” he said. “But if they just opened up school and they didn't find the person or anything, I don't think I'd want to go to school."
Parent Patty Mayes agreed with that reasoning.
"I'd rather keep them home and be safe that be sorry and unfortunately I don't feel I have enough information yet, so my son's probably going to stay home for the rest of the week,” she said.
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