Jewish day schools in Florida and California were targeted with bomb threats on Monday.
The Milken Community School in Brentwood, Calif., was locked down after the Los Angeles Police Department received a call about a possible bomb threat or active shooter at 1 p.m.
When officers arrived, they reportedly found no threat. The Anti-Defamation League of California called the threats “false” and stated it was working with law enforcement “to ensure these threats are thoroughly investigated and Jewish institutions remain safe.”
Also on Monday, a bomb threat was reported at Jewish schools on the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County campus in Boca Raton, Fla.
The Federation stated that the Donna Klein Jewish Academy, on its campus, received “a fraudulent emergency call, prompting an evacuation of South Campus buildings,” which also include a preschool, and that the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office “responded immediately and determined there was no credible threat.”
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) stated that “there is no cause in the world that’s served by scaring children.”
“If your grievance leads you to a K-12 school, you’re the problem,” he said.
The threats come days after two Orthodox Jewish schools in Brooklyn were threatened on Friday.
“Teach Coalition is closely monitoring reports of bomb threats targeting Jewish schools across the country, coordinating with schools and community leaders and praying that every child, teacher and staff member is safe,” stated Sydney Altfield, executive director of the coalition, which is part of the Orthodox Union.
“These incidents are deeply alarming,” Altfield stated. “No parent should have to fear for their child’s safety when sending them to school. With Jewish schools already spending more than $400,000 a year on security, the need for increased government funding has never been more urgent.”
“Schools cannot shoulder this growing burden alone,” she said. “Protecting our children must be a priority.”
