MCI and Belfast classes disrupted by threats

PITTSFIELD and BELFAST – Two high schools canceled classes Tuesday, one for the day, one for a few hours, after written threats were discovered.

Maine Central Institute, a private college prep school that serves as the high school for about 400 SAD 53 teenagers and 100 boarding students, had the day off Tuesday.

Belfast students were evacuated at about 9 a.m. when the threat was reported and they were placed in buses that remained parked and running while police searched the building. Police Chief Jeffery Trafton said the students were back in school by 11:45 a.m. The chief said a student discovered the threat in boys’ restroom.

“It specifically said that a bomb would go off at 11 a.m.,” Trafton said. “We searched the school. There was no bomb.”

In Pittsfield, officials opted to keep students home in the wake of a threatening graffiti message left in a restroom a week ago that contained Tuesday’s date. “People will die. Suicide is the only way out,” police reported the message stated. It also included the date “12/18/07.”

Police Chief Steve Emery said that he considered the message a prank but it was serious enough to raise red flags. “The school is acting appropriately and is being very conscientious,” he said.

Emery positioned an officer at the school Tuesday and he will continue to be on campus until the students leave for winter vacation on Dec. 22.

No incidents were reported Tuesday at the school. “It’s very quiet here,” Head of School Joanne Szadkowski said Tuesday afternoon. “There have been no problems.”

The message was apparently found scrawled in the math and science building. Since it was threatening in nature and contained Tuesday’s date, Szadkowski opted to close school.

“Because there was a date given, we opted for all precautions,” Szadkowski said. “The message was threatening to people in general and no target was specified.”

As such, all residential students were under lock and key, she said, and staff were given the option to either come to work or stay away. “Some are here and some took the day off,” she said.

In addition, police were on campus, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious and the school’s private security force has been beefed up.

Last week, local and state police scoured the campus for more than three hours on Tuesday morning after the message was discovered in a restroom on Monday night, Dec. 10.

Szadkowski said many students were interviewed in an attempt to find the graffiti artist. The closure action was taken for the safety of the school community.

“We do not know if the graffiti is a very bad joke from a disturbed individual, or if there is malice intended. Without that knowledge, we believe we have no choice but to take every reasonable precaution. Although neither parents nor educators can guarantee absolute safety of their children, we can and do take precautionary measures when there is the appearance of a threat to their well-being,” she said.

Szadkowski said that barring any unusual event, MCI will be open on Wednesday and through the remainder of the week. “Police and trained security guards will remain a presence on campus throughout the week,” she added. All students, including about 100 boarding students, begin their holiday break on Dec. 22.

Reporter Walter Griffin contributed to this story.

Sharon Kiley Mack may be reached at bdnpittsfield@verizon.net or 487-3187.