On February 14th, a mass shooting occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people. This marked the 17th gunfire incident involving a school since the beginning of the year. A few weeks later, over one thousand miles away, the effects of this school shooting can still be felt in Montgomery County (MCPS).
As one of the most deadly school shootings in years, Douglas is strongly reminiscent of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting back in 2012. However, unlike Sandy Hook, this shooting has directly affected a much more politically active demographic.
On February 21st, hundreds of students from Montgomery Blair, Richard Montgomery, Bethesda Chevy-Chase, and Walter Johnson high schools walked out during the school day and planned to rally at the Capitol in Washington D.C. It was supported by United States Representative Jamie Raskin, who spoke to the students at the rally.
Since the shooting, MCPS has also experienced some safety concerns. On February 15th, Alwin Chen, a student at Clarksburg High School, was found in possession of a loaded gun and a “list of grievances.” This behavior unsettled officials, who promptly arrested him. He has not been released yet.
On February 21st, Walter Johnson High School received bomb threats. The police ordered students to evacuate the school after a report came in at 10:52 a.m. Officials checked the school building and deemed it safe to have students to return to class at noon.
Winston Churchill High School also experienced a bomb threat incident the very same day. Earlier that morning, at 6 a.m., someone contacted the school and informed them that there was a bomb in the building. Students were similarly evacuated while police searched for evidence. The school was deemed safe and students returned to class about two hours later.
As a result of the heightened threats and events caused by the Douglas shooting, other schools have taken precautions in response to the school shooting. Poolesville High School is planning to institute a special drill to better prepare for students for situations like this should it ever happen. Principals and administration have also addressed these topics with their students through announcements and letters home to parents.
In an interview with Bethesda Magazine, Principal of Churchill High School Joan Benz commented on the bomb threat situation: “We’re just seeing a lot of people making threats and calls, none of them being really credible so far. But we expect to see more of this in the coming days, people taking advantage of people’s fears.”
MCPS officials are also working to address the situation. MCPS superintendent chief of staff, Henry Johnson, expressed the county’s plan to work with the Department of School Safety and Security to review emergency procedures for students. “One of the things we will do is after this latest incident here and the incident in Florida, we will sit down and re-evaluate and re-examine our protocols and practices,” Johnson said in an interview with The Sentinel.
Despite being halfway across the country, the Douglas school shooting has certainly mobilized MCPS to improve standards that ensure the safety of its students.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Michelle Ling of Richard Montgomery High School