Durham police say rumors of a threat at an Oshawa high school have not been substantiated.
In a tweet Wednesday morning, police said “the incident was investigated by our school liaison officer and found not to be substantiated. There are no safety concerns at this time.”
Police did not name a specific school.
On Tuesday, April 12, several Oshawa high schools sent a letter to families advising that “concerning information” was circulating.
“We have been made aware that students were discussing concerns about possible threats to school safety,” reads the letter sent to families at Maxwell Heights Secondary School in Oshawa. “The Durham District School Board takes all threats very seriously and notified the Durham Regional Police Service immediately. We are working cooperatively with the DRPS to ensure that all concerns are fully investigated.”
Families at Eastdale CVI, O’Neill CVI and Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School also report receiving the letter.
Officials with the Durham Catholic District School Board confirmed there was a “possible threat” at Dwyer and offered reassurance Wednesday morning.
“Through this investigation, it has been determined that there is no immediate threat to school safety at this time. We remind all students to tell an adult immediately if they hear something that concerns the safety of our school community,” said DCDSB Superintendent Gerard Winn.
The Durham District School Board did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Several parents contacted Durhamregion.com with concerns about the vague nature of the letter, saying it has caused significant anxiety.
“Why send a letter if you’re not going to tell us what’s happening? How are we supposed to feel OK about sending our kids to school tomorrow?” one parent wrote in an email Tuesday evening.
Social media was also abuzz with parents discussing the letter — many said they were considering keeping their teens home on Wednesday as a precaution.
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