Thanks to the Madison Middle School parents who forwarded us letters sent by principal Dr. Robert Gary, saying they felt the community beyond school families/staff should be aware. The first one, sent to families Friday:

Good Afternoon Madison Families:

Today [Friday] at approximately 3:30 pm two students reported to Madison Administration that they saw a threat written on a restroom wall.

The Administrative team immediately contacted the Seattle Police Department. They will conduct an investigation into the threat to determine its credibility and our next steps.

We will share more information as it becomes available from Seattle Police.

As I have mentioned before, middle school students are still learning and developing and have complex social dynamics, and this can sometimes play out in destructive ways. Ensuring that students know appropriate behavioral expectations and that all students are safe is our goal, and we ask for your partnership to understand expectations and responsibilities.

Please talk with your child(ren) about the consequences of what they say and do – such consequences can and have included expulsion from school and notification to the police. Additionally, please direct your child to notify his/her/their teacher or principal if anyone makes a threat against him/her/their or anyone else.

Here are some tips to have these conversations at home:

Make sure your child understands the seriousness of things he/she/they say(s).
Have children think of a time when they were hurt by something someone said or did and talk about how they felt.
Words don’t always lead to action, but let your child know that if he/she/they hear(s) someone saying they will hurt someone else, this must be taken very seriously.

Then a followup, sent to familiea late Monday:

This is follow-up information from the threat reported on Friday. I have received more information from the Seattle Police Department. Captain Davis from the Southwest Precinct has informed the Superintendent’s office and SPS Safety and Security that the alleged written threat found in the girl’s restroom at Madison on Friday, February 28 was investigated and found to be non-credible. The Seattle Police Department along with Seattle Public Schools Safety and Security Department will have a presence around the school throughout the week, out of an abundance of caution.

Please know that we take safety in our building very seriously; the well-being of our students is our top concern. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at 206-252-9200 or rgary@seattleschools.org.

Letters like these are not required to be shared more widely, so we don’t always hear unless parents forward them, as in this case (thanks again). So far we haven’t found the case number that would enable us to follow up with SPD. We’re asking the district if anyone was disciplined as a result of whatever led to the “non-credible” pronouncement.