DALTON, Ga. — Amid text-message rumors of imminent explosions and mass shootings, nearly 400 high school students skipped school at Northwest Whitfield on Friday. An unknown number of others left before the day ended.
“There was, like, nobody in school,” said Christa Mowery, 18, explaining many were “too scared” to show up.
Several Northwest students said their terror is rooted in the series of hand-written bomb threats at the school since Feb. 27. They have spurred four schoolwide evacuations. Two teens were arrested in connection with the hand-written bomb threats Thursday.
But the four other threats — all scrawled on the walls of students’ rest rooms — are unsolved, despite a $2,000 reward and intense pressure.
The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Department has investigated the threats, notifying the FBI and even holding students after school for questioning. “We’re not backing down from our level of investigation,” Maj. John Gibson said.
The hoaxes have wasted thousands of taxpayer dollars and 14 hours of class time so far, school officials said. Rumors swirling are not only about actual bombs, but also that students will lose spring break to make up that class time.
“If my spring break gets taken up, I’m going to Panama anyway,” said Cody Brinkley, 16, after school on Thursday.
“It ain’t right for us to get punished for what some stupid kid is doing,” he added.
Some students said they dread going to the bathroom during school. The Sheriff’s Department has ordered strict bathroom monitoring, with sign-in sheets and teachers to “check” the stalls after students finish using them.
Shaq McDaniel, 15, said he feels like a criminal every time he needs to relieve himself.
Shaq complained about the teachers — and the surveillance cameras — just outside the bathroom doorway.
“You got to look up and smile at the camera,” he said, grinning broadly to demonstrate.
John Thomas, a county school board member, said he “hates” that students must be so closely monitored. “It’s just trying times, and we’re doing all we can to figure out who’s causing the trouble.”
The two students who were arrested — a 14-year-old boy and 17-year-old Heather Lynn Bowers — both are charged with felonies. They might never again set foot in Northwest Whitfield High School, Mr. Thomas said.
“We can’t let people who do this type of thing back in our schools,” he said.
Ms. Mowery, the 18-year-old senior, said she used to tell friends that Northwest was the “best” high school. She said the bomb threats have left her feeling sad and a little sorry for the students who were arrested.
“You never know what’s going on in these kids’ minds,” she said.
