Terrifying choice for parents after sniper threat
Nervous parents today faced a terrifying choice about whether to take their children to school after the Washington sniper warned that youngsters were “not safe anywhere, at any time“.
Classroom doors were bolted shut and shades covered windows as pupils were kept indoors until home time following the chilling threat which was made public yesterday.
Armed police also guarded many of the schools in the Washington metropolitan area, which serve 700,000 pupils.
American Association of School Administrators President Paul Houston explained the dilemma facing parents and authorities.
“There is no right or wrong answer on this,” he said. “Or perhaps every answer is wrong, to put it more accurately.
“Do you close the schools and have children out on the street or unsupervised? Or do you bring them into school in a more supervised environment, but take the chance of getting them in and out of the building safely?”
Dewitt Wood, from Montgomery County, Maryland, took his son home early yesterday following the fatal shooting of a local bus driver in an attack believed to be linked to the sniper.
He is now considering keeping his son at home until the gunman is caught.
“If I had known earlier about the shooting, I probably wouldn’t have let him come to school at all,” he said.
All outdoor activities and school trips have been cancelled as fears escalate about the serial sniper who has killed at least nine and wounded three since October 2.
Many pupils struggled to get to school after buses were cancelled and huge traffic jams developed as police set up dragnets to try to catch the sniper.
Jessica Stanler, 17, who attends Montgomery Blair High School, said she had not been able to make it to class yesterday.
“One person can shut down our society,” she said.
“I can’t get to school because of what this person has done. And even if I get there, it won’t be functioning properly. I’m trying to get an education.”
Meanwhile, businesses in the suburban area around the US capital reported a drop in business as thousands of customers stayed at home.
Most of the shootings took place in public places, including car parks outside busy shops and restaurants.
Some drivers are paying people up to £25 to fill their car with petrol after five of the killings occurred at forecourts.
Many petrol stations have put up tarpaulin sheets to shield motorists as they refuel vehicles.
There are also growing concerns that fears about the sniper could disrupt congressional elections due to take place on November 5. Pollsters fear turnout could drop by more than 10%.
Authorities are now considering using the National Guard for security on election day.
