Police Cars at BCC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They called the suicide hotline and threatened suicide. That’s why it was created.

And police came and the student confessed it was a prank call.

We have way too many disruptions at BCC. I agree with the Principal. He does mention that anyone in need of help can call the help line on their ID card. Misuse of the system can get you in trouble - this obviously needs to be pointed out, given what happened today!

Stop finding fault where there is none.

You don't know if the confession was accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They called the suicide hotline and threatened suicide. That’s why it was created.

And police came and the student confessed it was a prank call.

We have way too many disruptions at BCC. I agree with the Principal. He does mention that anyone in need of help can call the help line on their ID card. Misuse of the system can get you in trouble - this obviously needs to be pointed out, given what happened today!

Stop finding fault where there is none.

The principal’s letter says it was an anonymous call. If they interviewed a student and they confessed then I hope they were offered a lawyer and that should have been stated rather than it was an anonymous call. Regardless your should still not deter students from calling the suicide hotline.

Student confidentiality protocol in MCPS rules that out: parents have been kept in the dark about rapes and serious assault and battery on school property before, OK? You will not know the details of this incident.

However police in MoCo can, and do, have a way to identify prank calls to determine if they're valid threats or not. Police has shown up to teen's homes to ask questions of prank callers (there are many, unfortunately), and yes, the kids are allowed lawyers. As soon as a threat is made, it becomes a POLICE MATTER. This is why the Principal is correct to warn would-be prank callers what they're up against. MCPS is usually way too lenient towards students who break school rules, but some things, like this threat of violence with a weapon at school, go straight to police. AS THEY SHOULD! You want a mass shooting on your hand, perpetrated by someone who wants suicide by cop?

At this point you're a moron or just being contrary for the sake of it.

Reread what your wrote. Send a cop to prevent a suicide by cop?

Saying that threatening self-harm is a threat of violence and mass shooting?

At this point YOU are a moron or being contrary for the sake of it.

[Anonymous]

Principal letter:

"spreading online threats and rumors and it is important to know that this kind of behavior could be criminal and subject to prosecution by law enforcement."


"As a reminder, if you see or hear something, please say something. Please do not hesitate to share anything you believe may be a concern to our school community or students."

So, is it criminal or should we not hesitate?

[Anonymous]

It’s not a crime to call a suicide hotline, good grief people. The student wasn’t actually suicidal. He said he wanted to shoot up the school and had put bombs in the school. The whole thing was a prank. He should br charger as should everyone wasting Police time and disrupting the school day calling in fake threats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Principal letter:

"spreading online threats and rumors and it is important to know that this kind of behavior could be criminal and subject to prosecution by law enforcement."


"As a reminder, if you see or hear something, please say something. Please do not hesitate to share anything you believe may be a concern to our school community or students."

So, is it criminal or should we not hesitate?

Ask chat GPT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a crime to call a suicide hotline, good grief people. The student wasn’t actually suicidal. He said he wanted to shoot up the school and had put bombs in the school. The whole thing was a prank. He should br charger as should everyone wasting Police time and disrupting the school day calling in fake threats.

How do you actually know he isn’t suicidal and just said it was a prank? Is it worse to get a slap on the wrist for a “prank “ or have the entire school know you called the suicide hotline?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Text of principal's note to parents. Sounds like it might have been scary but also that it was a bogus threat. I can't fault the school or the police for taking any threat seriously.

Dear Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Families,
I am writing to share information regarding a serious incident involving B-CC. Earlier today, our partners with the Montgomery County Police Department brought us information related to a threat communicated on the Suicide Hotline. The anonymous threat was from a person communicating that they are going to enter the building and cause self harm with a weapon. School staff, MCPS Safety and Security staff, and MCPD officers investigated the incident and determined the threat was not credible. There was heavy police presence when the initial threat came through. Our MCPD CEO remained on campus for the remainder of the day.
We are committed to providing a safe school environment for all our students and staff. This incident has two important lessons that should be addressed with students. First, online threats are becoming increasingly common and they are dangerous and disruptive to school operations. Furthermore, if your student needs emotional or mental support, our counseling department has an open door policy and students can see them as they need. We also have a social worker, Ms. Swissman, at school who is available for all students to access at any point. I encourage all parents/guardians to talk with their children about the problems and dangers of spreading online threats and rumors and it is important to know that this kind of behavior could be criminal and subject to prosecution by law enforcement. Furthermore, I am asking that you let your student know that we have a team of social-emotional support for our students.
As a reminder, if you see or hear something, please say something. Please do not hesitate to share anything you believe may be a concern to our school community or students. Information related to the ANONYMOUS MD Safe Schools Tip Line can be found on the back of every student ID card.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school at 240-740-0400.
Sincerely,
Shelton Mooney, Ed.D.
Principal

So a child called the suicide hotline and the principal says that could get you arrested don’t do it?

Way to discourage students from calling the suicide hotline.

That seems like a stretch. Usually they just hold a restorative circle. I hear it works really well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They called the suicide hotline and threatened suicide. That’s why it was created.

And police came and the student confessed it was a prank call.

We have way too many disruptions at BCC. I agree with the Principal. He does mention that anyone in need of help can call the help line on their ID card. Misuse of the system can get you in trouble - this obviously needs to be pointed out, given what happened today!

Stop finding fault where there is none.

The principal’s letter says it was an anonymous call. If they interviewed a student and they confessed then I hope they were offered a lawyer and that should have been stated rather than it was an anonymous call. Regardless your should still not deter students from calling the suicide hotline.

So, anonymous call and then the kid came forward on their own and confessed? Not clear.

[Anonymous]

That was a good letter from the principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They called the suicide hotline and threatened suicide. That’s why it was created.

And police came and the student confessed it was a prank call.

We have way too many disruptions at BCC. I agree with the Principal. He does mention that anyone in need of help can call the help line on their ID card. Misuse of the system can get you in trouble - this obviously needs to be pointed out, given what happened today!

Stop finding fault where there is none.

The principal’s letter says it was an anonymous call. If they interviewed a student and they confessed then I hope they were offered a lawyer and that should have been stated rather than it was an anonymous call. Regardless your should still not deter students from calling the suicide hotline.

So, anonymous call and then the kid came forward on their own and confessed? Not clear.

Nobody here can answer that question definitively, because the school and the police are not going to go into details about issues involving a minor. I don't know why some idiot is trying to make drama about what seems to me (as a BCC parent) as a perfectly appropriate response by the principal. Making false threats as a prank or a way to mess with the school is really lousy and dangerous behavior (and potentially criminal.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That was a good letter from the principal.

Telling the entire school and parents a child threatened suicide?

Is that even legal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was a good letter from the principal.

Telling the entire school and parents a child threatened suicide?

Is that even legal?

The letter said a person. Not a child and not a child who attends the school.

[Anonymous]

So, the "person" didnt threat with a type of weapon? If it was a b threat, don't they evacuate a school, as they have at other HS that have received a b threat in the past (Blair, Wooton..)? Did they know the call was bogus already so they didn't evacuate everyone? If a different weapon was mentioned in the "prank call", don't they go into lockdown? Did school evacuate or go into lockdown, shelter-in-place?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was a good letter from the principal.

Telling the entire school and parents a child threatened suicide?

Is that even legal?

The letter said a person. Not a child and not a child who attends the school.

If they investigated and determined the threat wasn’t credible then they must have asked whoever made the call right? If not then how do they know it’s not a credible threat? Even if the person said it was just a prank how do they know it’s not credible? What are they doing to ensure it doesn’t still happen? If it was a someone from another school or they don’t know who it was why wouldn’t they just say it wasn’t related to anyone in the school or say they don’t know where the threat came from? If it’s not a student but it’s in the school then that implies it was an adult, why is there a suicidal adult working around children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was a good letter from the principal.

Telling the entire school and parents a child threatened suicide?

Is that even legal?

The letter said a person. Not a child and not a child who attends the school.

If they investigated and determined the threat wasn’t credible then they must have asked whoever made the call right? If not then how do they know it’s not a credible threat? Even if the person said it was just a prank how do they know it’s not credible? What are they doing to ensure it doesn’t still happen? If it was a someone from another school or they don’t know who it was why wouldn’t they just say it wasn’t related to anyone in the school or say they don’t know where the threat came from? If it’s not a student but it’s in the school then that implies it was an adult, why is there a suicidal adult working around children?

Why wouldn't they have evacuated or lockdown as soon as the call came in? They KNEW call was bogus when threat came in???