On the Loyola Blakefield campus today, there were no buses, no students...no classes.
The Towson Catholic, Jesuit school shut down in the shadow of a racially charged threat etched onto a bathroom stall, the latest incident in a year long struggle with racial strife in this private school police say.
"The school has had some problems with race relations throughout the entire school year and yesterday is seems to have culminated in something that was more of an indirect threat but specified this Thursday as well," said Baltimore County Police Officer Jen Peach.
The threat was indirect but specific.
The message used a racial slur and said “no [African Americans] better come on Thursday.”
It was enough for the administration to close it all down and call in police.
Several phone calls made to the school went unanswered and an ABC2 News crew was told to leave school property but the school did receive a statement the president said of the person who carved this hate and bigotry, “We will discover who did this, and they will no longer be part of our community."
Meanwhile the Loyola community is responding via social media.
On Facebook the Loyola Blakefield Mother's Club and other alumni changed the school logo to include the term “No H8.”
Meanwhile the Baltimore County Police Department is staying close working with the school on any past incidents and the immediate future.
"If the school board decides that they are going to open school up for tomorrow then we will be there on hand and accessible to them," Officer Peach said.
There has been no word tonight on whether or not the school will re-open Friday.
Below is a statement from Loyola Blakefied:
“We are heartbroken and outraged by this attack on the respect and dignity of members of our community, especially our African American members who were targeted by this hateful message,” said Anthony Day, President. “We will discover who did this, and they will no longer be a part of our community.”
Out of an abundance of care for our community, Loyola Blakefield’s administration decided to close school for the day on Thursday, December 14th. We did so after the discovery of graffiti etched onto the stall of a restroom, which included language of hate and bigotry, as well as a suggestive threat. We are working in partnership with the Baltimore County Police Department to investigate this hateful act.
