Bomb threats now target three Oakville schools; possible links to case in Boston
Published December 7, 2022 at 12:18 pm
Three schools in Oakville have received bomb threats this week in an ongoing situation that has left students, parents, educators and police frustrated with the continuous disruptions.
On Tuesday, both Western Heights Montessori Academy and Maple Grove Public School were threatened, and Oakville-Trafalgar High School continues to receive threats.
And the case may stretch beyond the Canadian border as law enforcement is looking into a possible connection between what’s happening in Oakville and recent bomb threats made to a Boston hospital.
At this point, it’s not known if the Oakville bomb scares are connected to the ongoing controversy surrounding the provocative clothing worn by a transgender teacher at Oakville-Trafalgar and the decision by the Halton District School Board to allow the situation at the school to continue despite protests from several groups including parents.
The teacher wears large fake breasts and a long blonde wig to classes each day.
It is believed Oakville-Trafalgar has received eight bomb threats in total.
Videos
“This situation at the school is getting out of hand,” one parent told inhalton.com. “It’s frustrating for everyone. The police have their hands full, the students can’t focus their attention on their studies. It is ridiculous. All this is happening because everyone is afraid of offending this one teacher. The school board has to step up and resolve this situation; they can’t let it continue like this.”
The parent did not want to be named over fears of repercussions against their child, who attends Oakville-Trafalgar.
“And it’s a real fear,” the parent added about repercussions. “The school board is so afraid about being sued by this one (transgender) teacher that they hope the situation will quietly go away and they don’t want anyone to talk about it. But parents are tired of this situation.”
So far, the school board has been unable to diffuse the situation over fears that it could lead to legal issues or a violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code. However, sources say the board is trying to negotiate a solution to the issue, although this cannot be confirmed.
During each of the bomb scares, Halton Regional Police have checked the schools and cleared them for students to return. In some instances, the schools had to be closed and students sent home.
A police official familiar with the case said it has been frustrating for all involved.
“It’s so unnecessary that this has to happen,” said the officer, who could not speak officially on the matter. “I don’t know (what) led to this situation, but certainly they should be able to reach a resolution that satisfies all those concerned. I hope they are working towards that.”
In another twist, reports have surfaced that a hospital in Boston that deals with transgender patients has also received bomb threats from the same email account that sent the threats in Oakville.
Halton police say they are aware of the links with the Boston case and are continuing to investigate all leads.
insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising