Countryside Academy Looks To Assure Parents

education-43
education-43

Leaders at the Countryside Academy in Benton Township are working to calm parents upset about a threat the high school received this week.

On Wednesday, a threat to shoot up the school was found written on a restroom stall. It also contained racial language. As a result, the school was closed on Thursday and classes resumed Friday.

Countryside Academy Administrator Sarah Brookshire issued a statement Friday, saying school leadership believes “current safety protocols we have in place are sufficient and have been successful at keeping our student body safe for the past 21 years.” She goes on to say the school’s doors are locked each day and there are cameras on the property.

On Friday, police were a presence on campus with explosive-sniffing dogs. Brookshire said they would continue to be on hand at the school until an arrest is made in the threat case.

Regarding parental concerns about the racial language in the threat, Brookshire writes the school understands the concerns, but “we cannot let one person’s opinion influence our school community. We remain proud of our student diversity.”