From Rookie to Reality Case Analysis and Rationale – Case 24

Part 1: Case Analysis

1. Brief summary of the case:

 After a school principal became sick, I was asked to take an interim principal
position at that school, even though I was hired as an assistant principal at another
school. The transition has gone smoothly in my new position, and I am adjusting
well to the responsibilities. Only two weeks into my new position, a bomb threat
at the school I previously worked at was reported, and a home-made bomb was
defused on campus with no injuries. Soon after this incident, just before the
beginning of a new school-day a fourth grader and their parent run up to me and
inform me about an object in the sidewalk. After walking up to inspect the object
I notice it is made of metal and is assumed to be another home-made bomb.
2. Identify the issues to be resolved:
 The issue to be resolved is what actions will I take in this scenario, as the
principal, knowing a bomb threat that ended up with a true bomb has happened
recently in a sister school.
3. Stakeholders involved in the issues:
 The stakeholder in involved are the students and their safety, along with the
community and families. There are also district stakeholders because a previous
threat has already happened and news outlets have reported on it.
4. One or two existing laws or court rulings that relate to the issues:
 Arizona Senate Bill 1108
 Arizona Revised Statue 13-3102
 North Carolina General Statues 14-269.2
5. District policies that relate to the issues:
 Section J – Student, Weapons in School
6. Possible solutions to the issues:
 Ignore the item, continue day as usual
 Report the item, continue the day as usual and let police/district handle the item
until further instruction
 Report the item immediately, take action, and act as if it is a real threat until
notified with further instructions
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 7. The solution you chose to resolve the issues:
 I choose the best option in the scenario is to report the item and take immediate
action to keep everyone safe, until further details can be determined
8. Action steps (2-5) for implementing your solution, including a timeline for each step:
 Ensure that no one else was nearby and guide any students/families away from the
area
 Contact the district office and police/SRO
 Have a message sent to parents, keep students home if not at school yet, evacuate
students that are present to an area away from the threat
 Keep communication with law enforcement and district personnel as the
investigation is being completed
 After threat has been assessed send communication to families/community
9. Potential moral and legal consequences of the solution:
 Asking parents to keep their students’ home if they haven’t arrived may cause a
wave of angry parents who were on their way to school, or can worry parents of
students who walk/take bus/have already dropped students off
 If it turns out to not be a threat, the day will be hectic, possible delays in the
learning environment for the day
 Media outlets will be involved, district may face “is this district safe?” allegation
because of a repeat offense

Part 2: Rationale

I believe that keeping the safety of our students first is very important. That is why my
decision would be to act upon this item as if it were a real bomb, and take the appropriate steps
to ensure the safety of all students. In Case Analysis 24, Hanson (2009) writes that a similar
situation where a bomb threat turned out to be a real home-made bomb that cause no injuries or
fatalities. Knowing this has just recently happened at a nearby, sister school, I would be even
more worried about the same things happening at my school, and if I didn’t act, something
terrible could happen.

My first action, because I was already at the scene of the potential bomb, would be to
ensure that no one else was around. If this happened 20 minutes before the beginning of the
school-day, I can assume that there will be more parents/student coming nearby and my first
objective would be to gear them away from the area. I would then send a text or email to the
district office letting them know there is a bomb threat and I will be contacting the police. In this
email I would CC all appropriate office staff that would be able to follow school procedures for
ensuring the safety of everyone on campus. My next step would be to quickly get police on the
phone. Hopefully, the school would have a school resource office that could be present soon.

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After informing police I would get in contact with the district office again via call to provide
further details and inform them that police are on their way.

If time permits, I would have the office send a message to parents that there is a threat
being assessed at the school. I would ask that if students have not yet been dropped off to please
keep them home, while also mentioning that any students already on campus, or who make it to
campus will be directed to the nearest safe area where staff/teachers will be present with them. I
am aware that this may cause upset parents, but the beginning of the day can always be a bit
hectic and if we have fewer students, it may help keep things under control.

I will continue to do my best to keep everyone informed as updates are completed. Law
enforcement would soon be on the scene and it would be important for teacher/staff/students to
know their safety is our priority. The Laveen Elementary School District (2012) states in their
mission statement that the school will work toward developing an environment that is safe and
positive. I will always have this in mind when dealing through this issue. Working with law
enforcement, I would prove camera footage as needed to help identify the individual that left the
device. Considering directions and suggestions from district personnel, if the individual was
identified or seen, we would seek all opportunities to catch the person and press legal charges.
Arizona Revised Statue 13-3102 states it is illegal to carry a deadly weapon on a school campus.

After the threat has been assessed and eliminated, I would have student reenter the school
to their appropriate class and I would suggest that teachers to social-emotional lessons/check in
with student all students because I am sure emotions will be high. I will also send out a message
to the families and the community with an update on the situation and letting them know the
threat has been handled. At the end of the day, I would ask teacher to stay for the debrief
moment to discuss the details and ensure everyone on the staff is also okay after such a
potentially traumatizing event.

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 References

Arizona Revised Statue § 13-3102. Misconduct involving weapons

Hanson, K. L. (2009). A Casebook for School Leaders: Linking the ISLLC Standards to Effective
Practice. Allyn & Bacon/Pearson.

Laveen Elementary School District. (2012). Governing Board Policy Manual (Vol. I-II). Laveen
Elementary School District.

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