LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — All schools in the Lockport City School District will shift to remote learning for the remainder of week due to parent concerns, according to a message on the district's website.
According to the message, the district and in particular Lockport High School, have been subject to potential social media threats recently. Due to parents concerns, beginning Wednesday all schools in the district pre-K to grade 12 will shift to a remote learning model through Friday.
The district said the shift to remote learning will provide time to plan for and implement further safety measures as well as provide time for law enforcement to continue to investigate.
“These kids should not be in school. The school should have been closed and this should have been settled,” remarked Jason Smiraglia, parent.
Smiraglia has three children in the elementary and middle school in Lockport and tells me he's outraged that only the Lockport High school was closed Tuesday because of a serious social media threat while his children were required to be in school.
“Is this something that is obviously is absolutely freighting for you as a parent?” Buckley questioned.
“It is,” replied Smiraglia. “We did send our kids to school, but a lot of our friends did not send their kids to school and it's a situation— where do I or don't I — put my kids in harms way if I send them to school? And that's not the way society should be. Our schools should be there to protect our kids — not possibly fail them.”
The parent saved an Instagram post with the handle that reads “l0ckp0rtshoota”. We choose not to show the post that are very disturbing and allude to a mass shooting.
“Some of them were threatening teachers — a lot of vulgarness,” explained Smiraglia. “Some of the posts were really bad and it shouldn't be happening.”
“You said you also contacted the police department. What did they tell you?” Buckley asked.
“That you have a better chance of getting struck by lightening than being involved in a school shooting and they also did say it is safe to send your kids,” explained Smiraglia.
7 Eyewitness News reached out to the Lockport Police Department, but have yet to receive a response.
Tuesday, and on December 2, Lockport High School shifted to remote learning due to threats on social media. There were also potential threats on September 27 and November 22 that closed the high school.
