Parents frustrated by lack of details following potential threat at Delburne school

Parents of Delburne Centralized School are concerned about what they call a lack of information shared about a potential threat made against the school.

Justin Dyck, who has two children who attend the school, said he’s troubled by the communication about the incident to parents.

On the day of the potential threat on September 24, Dyck said parents were notified by the school, and a follow-up email was sent the next day.

He described the messages as vague and lacking critical information, such as what sort of threat was made.

He added that many parents had to learn about it through rumours and hearsay, as there was no other form of information sent out in the days after.

“Many parents were reaching out, but it was pretty much smoke and mirrors,” he said. “What got me interested is that I have kids in the school, and I understand they can’t release a lot of information, but no information is always bad, especially in this scenario. I think a lot of folks were on the side of the fence where nobody knew what was going to happen or knew anything was taking place.”

In an emailed statement from the Chinook’s Edge School Division, they said that on September 24, school administrators received reports regarding rumoured comments made by a student that were interpreted as a potential threat to the safety of the Delburne School community.

“The school and division worked with local RCMP to determine that there was no threat to our students, staff, or school community,” they wrote. “We take all safety concerns seriously and have processes in place to ensure every perceived threat is evaluated thoroughly, objectively, and promptly. We do not tolerate behaviour or comments that cause fear or concern in our school communities. The actions taken by administrators, RCMP, and the school division were successful in determining that students are safe at Delburne School.”

They added that the safety and well-being of their students is a top priority, which includes providing support to help students feel safe in their school.

Families are encouraged to contact the school for further support.

Dyck explained that the lack of information allowed members of the public to misinterpret facts and come to their own conclusions.

“Speaking with multiple other parents, everyone made phone calls, but nobody was getting answers,” he said. “These types of threats shouldn’t be taken lightly, and to be fair, I don’t think they were taken lightly after I spoke to them.

“On Friday, Sept. 25, I would say a huge portion of the school, there were no kids in it because parents are scared to send their kids there.”

He said it just comes down to a lack of communication, as parents and citizens want to know more.

“We don’t want to beat around the bush. We want facts.”

Meanwhile, the Three Hills RCMP said in a statement that an investigation was initiated and the student who made the rumoured comments has been identified.

“The police and school are working together for the safety of all involved. A Violent Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) will be (or has been) conducted in collaboration with the RCMP,” they wrote. “Specific details surrounding the event cannot be disclosed for privacy reasons.”

No criminal charges have been laid.