At 7:35AM this morning a bomb threat was called into the main office at CRLS. Many students and faculty were already in the building. Cambridge Police were immediately called and a sweep of the building was conducted by the Cambridge Police, School Safety Officers, and maintenance staff. Inspection by trained safety personnel found no evidence to substantiate the threat, and there was no disruption to the regular school day.
There has been a recent increase in threats around the greater Boston area. It's unclear whether this morning's threat is connected to those received in surrounding communities.
The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. We will not hesitate to evacuate if there is any suspicion that a threat is founded. At the same time, CPS will not evacuate a school when initial assessment indicates a likely hoax. Unnecessary evacuations carry their own risks including the risk of encouraging potential perpetrators of future hoaxes.
Please be assured that police and safety personnel will treat any threat seriously until it can be determined to be unsubstantiated. Making a false threat against a school is a serious crime, and places a drain on public safety resources. Individuals convicted of making a false threat can be fined up to $50,000 and receive up to 20 years in prison.
As we continue to strive for full transparency about any incident involving student safety, please know that our staff are trained to respond swiftly and effectively. We hope these further details are useful and reassuring to our high school students, families, and staff; and to our wider CPS community.