Editorial
Campus News received an anonymous tip last Wednesday, about a terrorist-like threat made by a current student against the school.
This student was obviously distraught, angry and posed a definite threat to the students, staff, faculty and administration on campus.
What his issues with the school were may never be known except by a small number of people whose job it is to investigate these types of incidents.
Campus News reporters took note of the increased police presence on campus and proceeded to investigate the threat and got nowhere.
At every turn, they were shut-out of the picture and were unable to get any information about the threat. This is very disturbing.
After making several calls to school officials, some of which knew nothing of the situation, the question at hand became, “why is this threat being taken lightly?”
Why are school officials being kept in the dark about a potentially dangerous situation?
At the sheriff’s office at the southwest end of Weingart Stadium, several squad cars were seen coming and going and more police officers were on campus than during the May 16 incident that befell ELAC and Santa Monica College.
There was obviously something going on, so why the secrecy? More importantly, why was the school not locked down?
This is particularly perplexing in light of the fact that the school recently went through a lockdown drill in preparation for this type of situation.
ELAC students, faculty, staff and administration were vulnerable and at risk, and many of them were walking through campus going about their day– unaware of the danger that existed.
One student reporter, went to the sheriff’s office and saw several officers going over a plan of action while reviewing a map of the school, indicating a present danger.
In today’s gun-happy world, no threat of this nature should ever be taken lightly.
The campus sheriff’s department knew exactly who this person was, bringing up the possibility that they may have known he was not to be taken seriously.
If that was the case, why the cadet presence at the front of the school and at the entrance to the P3 parking structure?
If the idea was to keep a vigil on the school in case this deranged person were to show up on campus, why was there a police presence at these locations only?
The entrances at the north end of the school to the Pinner driveway, the English classroom area and Plant Facilities were all wide-open for anyone to meander in.
These images did not exude confidence for the safety of the campus no matter how many police cruisers were circling the school.
It is easy to sit back and criticize the tough decisions school officials are faced with on a daily basis, but this one made no sense.
ELAC students, staff, faculty and administration were not given as much as a text alert of the situation to warn people of the danger at hand.
This is unacceptable.