2 PM THURSDAY UPDATE:
After two districts in the county closed Thursday due to threats made overnight, action is being taken to hold those responsible accountable.
The Butler Area School District and Slippery Rock School District both closed and St. Wendelin, Butler Catholic School, and First Baptist Christian also closed, in part due to transportation issues. Some Thursday athletic events at Butler will continue with coaches contacting those involved but the Senior High Back to School Night has been canceled and will be rescheduled for a later date. Slippery Rock also canceled extracurricular activities.
Butler Superintendent Dr. Brian White said in an email that the district became aware of multiple threats primarily through the social media site Snapchat. Following an investigation with law enforcement that consumed district time and resources, no threats were found to be credible. Butler will operate on a normal schedule Friday.
White says he is working with District Attorney Rich Goldinger as these threats constitute criminal acts. In addition, any Butler students who participated will be held accountable by the district with a disciplinary hearing before the school board. The district will seek civil restitution to recover costs and is also pursuing legal measures against Snapchat.
The missed day will be made up at a time to be determined. Anyone who hears or sees a threat on social media is asked to report it through the Safe2Say platform either online or by phone. All new threats will be investigated quickly.
Two districts in the county are closing today after threats were made overnight.
The Butler Area School District and Slippery Rock School District both announced they were closing. St. Wendelin and First Baptist Christian are also closed for the day.
Superintendent Dr. Brian White said in an email that the district received multiple threats overnight. He said some specifically are directed at the Senior High, while others just refer to “Butler.”
“This situation is incredibly disruptive to our school community. It is unreasonable to expect our students and staff to focus on learning in an environment clouded by fear and uncertainty. While I am disappointed by the impact this situation has on our students and families, I am deeply frustrated by the individuals responsible for this disruption and the emotional distress they have caused,” White wrote to families in an email.
The closure comes after the Senior High and Intermediate were placed on lockdown yesterday. According to the district, those threats were deemed not credible.
White says he is working with authorities to determine the best way to legally hold those accountable.
“I have requested a meeting with the Butler County District Attorney’s Office, assistance from the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, and support from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Additionally, I will meet with our solicitor to explore any further legal actions we can take. Today, even though our schools are closed, our principals and school police, in coordination with local law enforcement, will focus on identifying those responsible for these threats,” White said in an email.
Slippery Rock officials say they are closing “out of an abundance of caution.” Slippery Rock is also canceling all extracurricular activities and after-school activities.
The districts will continue to provide updates throughout the day, including the impact on evening activities.
