DANVERS, Mass. (WHDH) — A second threat at St. John's Prep in Danvers has the school and police concerned, so starting Tuesday there will be changes to security.
Students are banned from bringing bags or backpacks to school, only clear plastic bags will be allowed. Even gym bags and sports bags must be dropped off early and searched.
St. John's Prep stressed that no one person was targeted, but this is the second threat and they can't ignore it. The threat was found scrawled in a bathroom. The school immediately reached out to Danvers police after the threat was discovered and came up with this plan for the 1,100 male students.
Action was not taken following the first threat since it was vague, according to Headmaster Dr. Ed Hardiman.
“[The second one] mentioned Friday. The first one had no specifics in it. This one had specifics in it," Hardiman said.
There will be a police presence throughout the campus starting Tuesday morning. No backpacks are allowed and there will be an increased supervision of students during the day; that includes limited and monitored access to the bathrooms.
Hardiman told 7News: “We are taking this situation very seriously…We are working closely with local police authorities to ensure the safety of our campus."
The headmaster stated that plans are in place for the forseeable future.
Students are upset about the heightened security, but most are more upset towards whoever wrote the threat rather than the school.
"They are taking a lot of the freedom away and it's just violating the trust they gave us," said one student.
This is something very sensitive to the Danvers community because this community is still healing after the murder of a Danvers high school teacher a few months back.