On Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015, an e-mail was sent to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) school board threatening to detonate strategically placed bombs at a certain time, which put the safety of thousands of students and faculty district-wide at risk.

While the credibility of the e-mail was uncertain at the time, the school board members did not want to take any chances, and officially closed all 900 LAUSD schools that day. This caused classes in the nation’s second-largest school district to be cancelled for over 650,000 students and more than 2,700 officers to thoroughly search through all of the school sites for any traces of explosives or weapons.

Considering the fact that Los Angeles is only an hour’s drive away from San Bernardino, where 14 people were killed by two alleged terrorists not too long ago, the threat seemed all the more real.

For students who attend an LAUSD school, it was a surprising and scary experience. Sophomore Jeizl Jett Crabaño, who attends the STEM Academy of Hollywood in Helen Bernstein High School, started out her day normally until she got the notification. “My friends texted me in the morning when I was already dressed and ready to step out the door. At first I ignored it and didn’t really think much about it because I thought it was some sort of a scam found on the internet. However, they were very persistent about it and then I searched it up on the Internet and I found out it was true.”

Jeizl continued, “At first, I was really relieved because I had an extra day to study for finals and I was just really happy that I didn’t have to go to school. However, as I read more and more about it, it began to terrify me as I realized that it was more serious than I thought it was.”

Jeizl’s sister, Audrey Lyn Crabaño, is a freshman at another LAUSD school, Hollywood High School, and had a similar experience. “This happened on the Tuesday we had to take our first day of finals, so stress and nervousness were already on my mind that morning. Then suddenly hearing that there were bomb threats? Like come on! Then when I came home and really realized the seriousness of it all, I just couldn’t believe it. I think everybody – all the students, the staff, the administrators – were on edge that whole day.”

Another LAUSD student gave her opinion on the district school board’s decision to close all schools, and tied it into the larger context of the world. Chloe Choe, a sophomore at John Marshall High School, said “I think that LAUSD’s decision to close all schools in the district was a good decision because after the bombing in Paris and all these violent events that have been happening, we have to take extra precautions, especially when it comes to schools. Children should not be the example that shows the enemies’ power, nor should they pay the price for the decisions made by the government.”

A teacher at an LAUSD school also voiced her opinion on the district’s decision to close schools for the day. Ms. Feng Huang, a science teacher at the STEM Academy of Hollywood at Helen Bernstein High School, said, “I’m glad that our superintendent and the police worked together quickly to come up with a plan to ensure student safety. I think that the communication with the students and staff was very quick and efficient. I am thankful that it was all just a hoax.”

Even though this event occurred over 2,500 miles away on the other side of the country, it is not impossible for a similar threat to happen here at Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS). While LAUSD is the second-largest public school district in the country, PGCPS ranks twenty-first nationwide and is the second-largest public school district in Maryland, with about 126,000 students. PGCPS is one of several public school districts surrounding Washington D.C., the nation’s capital, and considering tensions between the United States and terrorists, it’s very plausible that something similar could happen here.

Various students and faculty at Eleanor Roosevelt High School were asked what their thoughts were of the situation and what they would do if the events that occurred in Los Angeles were to happen here. Freshman Vincent Lan said, “It’s very sad that one threat can shut down an entire school system.” He continued about the safety, saying “But I would feel even less safe in the building. As a freshman, I still don’t know the building that well, so I wouldn’t know where the good hiding spots would be and where to exit.”

Another ERHS student, Junior Amiel Cruz, said, “I think bomb threats are nothing but attention grabbers from those whose parents didn’t hug them enough, but it’s still pretty serious. You can’t just let it slide.”

Biology teacher Mrs. Jennifer Morgenthaler also gave her insight. “I think it’s a sad reflection on our society. If it were to happen here, I would want the school system to handle the situation in a safe manner. I know there were bomb threats in some schools across the country and they tried to make sure everyone was safe. It would have to be a very real, credible threat for them to close the school.”

Sergeant Edward Evans, who serves as the Head of Security for multiple schools in the northern part of PGCPS, addressed the situation with reassurance. “I think it was a great idea for them to act on the side of caution. With any bomb threat, you have to look for the specific threats to determine the decision to close or even evacuate. In light of today’s society, we would take the cautious route and think about the safety of the kids and staff by taking all the precautions necessary.”

Students from other PGCPS schools also voiced their opinions on what they would do if a similar threat were to occur here. Lillian Moki, a senior who attends Frederick Douglass High School said, “I honestly don’t know how I would react. I’m pretty sure most of my peers and I would be shocked that an event like this has happened. I wouldn’t know how to react in a situation like that. I would just pray that no one gets hurt.”

Sophomore Paul Romero of Oxon Hill High School said, “I think the LAUSD school system did the right things to close down due to the bombing, even if it was just a hoax. If something like that were to happen here at PGCPS, I would be really frightened. For all we know, at any moment, a bomb could actually be at a school. Just thinking about that fact sends chills down my spine.”

Bomb threats are a very serious matter, especially in today’s political climate. The events that occurred in Los Angeles are an example of what could possibly happen in other school districts, including PGCPS. Everyone who was asked about the situation found it terrifying to think about and most felt like LAUSD superintendents made the right decision to close down the school.