School Violence Threat Handled the Wrong Way at Wappingers School?

A threat at a Dutchess County school last week led to some parents wondering if it was handled the right way.

There are certain events that happen at schools across the Hudson Valley every year that most students look forward to. Events like field trips, prom, and at some schools homecoming are highlights of the school year for some students and when someone does something to ruin it for everyone it's a sad day.

Roy C. Ketcham Homecoming Game Postponed

The yearly homecoming weekend was scheduled to kick off on Friday at the Wappingers High School on Myers Corners Rd. with the yearly football game between rivals John Jay Patriots and the Ketcham Indians. The night was supposed to start with the home team Indians recognizing this year's seniors on the football team and the cheerleading squad but before the festivities could start the game was postponed after the school received a threat of violence, that was posted online. The threat mentioned that someone would bring a gun to the game.

Once police and school officials were made aware of the threat they quickly decided to postpone the night's festivities leaving some parents upset. Police quickly identified the person responsible for making the threat and arrested them. Soon after the school announced the football game would be played the next afternoon.

Parents Not Happy With Postponement

Before the football game was scheduled to start on Saturday, Ketcham hosted a sectionals soccer match for the school varsity girls' soccer team. If you aren't aware, my youngest daughter is a senior and plays on the school soccer team so I was at the game on Saturday (they lost 😢) and as you can imagine most of the parents on hand were talking about the threat that happened the night before. I'm not one to get into heated debates at a game so as I stood out of the way I overheard a few parents talking about how they couldn't believe the school canceled the game and thought they mishandled the whole situation.

SEE ALSO: Wappingers Board Of Education Says "NO" to New Name at School

One parent said that she couldn't believe that the school allowed one "stupid kid" to ruin events like this for everyone. They continued to go on and on about how the school should have let the game go on. Honestly, I stood there as long as I could biting my tongue but I had to walk away because I felt like I was going to explode. Let the game go on? How could they possibly do that?

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Did the School Do the Right Thing?

As a parent, I couldn't disagree any more than I do right now! There is no way in today's world they could have just ignored the threat. If they did ignore it and something happened what would these parents be saying? They be calling for someone's job!! I think the school and the authorities handled the unfortunate situation the best they could and made the right decision to postpone for the safety of everyone involved. It stinks that one person can ruin events like this for everyone but thankfully the folks running the show at Ketcham did the right thing! What do you think? Text us your thoughts through our station app above.