Police say a 14-year-old Evanston Township High School student has been referred to juvenile court after he made a social media post of himself posing with a prop gun from the school.
Police say he captioned the post “Can’t wait 4 ETHS 2 blow up.”
Police Cmdr. Ryan Glew says police were alerted to the post about 12:50 p.m. Tuesday.
ETHS safety staff made contact with the student and took him to a dean’s office where police learned the gun in the image was wasn’t real and was being used in a classroom for an English lesson about “Romeo & Juliet.”
The student was transported to the Evanston Police Department for further investigation. Glew says the student did not provide a statement about his intention behind the post, and he was referred to juvenile court for disorderly conduct.
ETHS students can report information about criminal activity, potential violence or unsafe situations by utilizing Acknowledge, Care, Tell steps. Community members can use EPD’s Text-A-Tip. To begin a message, enter the number “274637” (CRIMES) and then start your message with EPDTIP.
In a message on its website, the school says it “is revisiting classroom practices about the use of props such as replicas of weapons.”
the administration “is revisiting classroom practices about the use of props such as replicas of weapons.” Columbine was in 1999. Since then there have been 366 school shootings. That means the administration and school board in Evanston had at least 367 opportunities, nay, imperatives to revisit their policies related to weapons and props that might either be confused for real weapons. Can someone please take charge over there and be an adult, earn your salary and stop with the vapid pr responses.
It’s a *prop*
… I really don’t understand the outrage.
So the teenager posted a threat on line even posing with a “gun” and the administration is discussing whether a prop gun should be used in re-enacting a play! When two teenagers brought loaded guns to ETHS several months ago the administration paid a consultant who advised “better signage.” Something is seriously wrong here.