CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A Chippewa Valley High School student was arrested by police this week and is expected to be charged with making a false threat of terrorism.
Chippewa Valley Schools Superintendent Ron Roberts sent this letter to families on Thursday:
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At Chippewa Valley Schools, our number one priority is the safety and security of our students, staff, and families. We are writing to let you know that a Chippewa Valley High School student was arrested by police and will be charged with making a false threat of terrorism, a 20-year felony. This threat was made in the presence of other students and reported to school officials.
As a reminder, any and all threats, harassment, intimidation or inappropriate behavior will be fully and quickly investigated by school officials and our law enforcement partners. We want to reiterate for families, students and staff that Chippewa Valley Schools has zero tolerance for threats, intimidation, and bullying.
This incident is a reminder that bad decisions carry serious consequences, and we encourage all parents to talk with their children to remind them of the importance of making sound choices, whether in the classroom or on social media. Let them know that the words they use matter. Encourage them to report any concerns they have regarding school safety to you, a school staff member, or a trusted adult.
Working together, we can continue to ensure that our schools remain safe places for all students to learn.
If you have any questions about this matter, please do not hesitate to contact my office directly.
A false threat of terrorism charge is a 20-year felony. The student is expected to be arraigned Friday.
In March, another Chippewa Valley High School student was arrested after a social media post with a threatening caption. Jacob Graham, 18, was removed from class and taken into custody after a parent alerted the school district about the post. He was arraigned on the false report or threat of terrorism charge this week and is being held on a $150,000 bond.
County prosecutor: 51 charged with making threats since Parkland school shooting
In early April, Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith said his county has been especially hit hard by school threats in the wake of a mass shooting earlier this year in Parkland, Fla.
Smith said 51 people in Macomb County have been charged with making a false threat of terrorism since the shooting in Florida that killed 17 people and wounded 17 more on Feb. 14.
Of those 51 people, 40 of them are juveniles. The other 11 are seniors in high school, Smith said. That's way more than the average amount of such charges issued by Smith's office during the course of a school year.
"Normally through the course of a school year we get about 17 charges of false threat or threats of terrorism. Through a nine-month school year it's basically two every month, just under two a month," said Smith. "Well, since Parkland, which has been seven weeks or so, we have charged 51 defendants with false threat of terrorism. That's 40 juveniles and 11 adults. When I say adults, these are 17-year-old high school seniors who are charged as adults."