RICHMOND, Mich. – A threat has been made against another Richmond Community Schools staff member at about the same time an administrator resigned due to a different threat.
Richmond Community Schools reported Monday, Jan. 9, that a staff member received a threatening email from an anonymous sender on Friday, though they did not see the email until Sunday night. The email contained personal information and “threatened to harm specific individuals,” according to a letter sent Monday by Superintendent Brian Walmsley. Specifically, the threatening email indicated that the staff member “would be harmed if they did not quit their job,”
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Police are currently investigating the email. Authorities conducted a walk-through of the staff member’s classroom and found nothing, officials said -- indicating that the threatened individual may be a teacher.
Superintendent Walmsley said that school will carry on as usual on Tuesday, Jan. 10, with uniformed officers present in all three of the district’s buildings.
The email threat comes just as the Middle School Dean of Students, identified by the district as Mr. Woodberg, resigned from his position after a death threat was made against him and his family. The dean worked for the school for fewer than nine school days, Walmsley said.
On Tuesday, Jan. 3, staff members discovered a written death threat against Woodberg in the middle school upon their return from holiday break. The death threat, which contained antisemitic remarks, was directed at Woodberg, his spouse and his children, officials reported.
“(Woodberg was) excited to build relationships with the middle school students, who warmly welcomed him from day one,” Walmsley wrote Sunday. “As you can imagine, the threat affected Mr. Woodberg and his family and permanently changed the way they operate and view the environment around them.”
The discovery of the note closed all Richmond schools for the remainder of last week. Students had not yet returned to school when the note was found.
Richmond police said last week that they’re investigating the threatening note with “high priority.” Walmsley said on Jan. 3 that the district plans to insist that the “individual or individuals involved with leaving this threatening note be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Richmond Community Schools superintendent is asking the community to respect the investigation process and understand that the “information that can be released is limited.” The district continues to partner with police and Walmsley says the district is prioritizing the safety of students and staff.
No arrests have been made at this time. It is unknown if the two threats are related or not.
Anyone with information is asked to call Richmond police at 586-727-4000.
You can read the two latest letters sent by Superintendent Walmsley below.
Jan. 9 letter:
Jan. 8 letter: