In the early hours of Wednesday, February 4, several schools in Delaware received automated bomb threat phone calls, including the school attended by the son of Melissa Minor-Brown, the Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives. Law enforcement agencies conducted thorough investigations and found no explosive devices or other material threats, but they emphasized the need to remain vigilant.
At least six schools in Delaware were disrupted by phone disturbances on Wednesday, causing disruptions to daily teaching schedules. Some schools delayed their start times by two hours while others proceeded with their usual activities. Schools and districts such as Padua Academy, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Concord High School, Capital School District, and Cape Henlopen School District all received bomb threat phone calls on Wednesday. The Delaware law enforcement department identified this threat as a prank aimed at disrupting normal school operations.
Melissa Minor-Brown took to Facebook on Wednesday to remind parents to pay attention to their children’s mental health. She stated, “As a mother, I am relieved to know that all threats involving schools will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. If your child’s school has been affected, I suggest you check in on their mental health and let them know that the school counselor is always available to help if needed.”
Minor-Brown also advised parents to be mindful of the negative effects of social media, saying, “In a time when social media has a significant impact on children’s behavior, even encouraging harmful actions like making violent threat calls, it’s challenging to make children aware of the seriousness of such behaviors. However, it’s crucial for them to understand that these threats are not to be taken lightly. I know I will have a serious conversation with my children, and I encourage you to do the same.”
Due to receiving two bomb threats, the Capital School District delayed classes by two hours on Wednesday morning. District Director Toriano Giddens issued a detailed statement on Wednesday evening, confirming that no bombs or dangerous items were found in any building within the district. All students and staff remained safe throughout the response process, and law enforcement later announced that the alert was lifted.
Giddens disclosed details of the threats, stating that around 1 am on Wednesday, Kent County Secondary ILC and Dover High School received bomb threat voicemails. Since schools were closed at night, the voicemails were not listened to immediately. However, upon staff inspection, emergency response plans were activated, and law enforcement and emergency agencies were contacted. Dover Police Department and Delaware State Police promptly responded and conducted thorough searches of the affected buildings.
Giddens further explained the decision to delay bus transportation for grades first through eighth by two hours. With approximately 6,000 students transported daily by the Capital School District, delays at the starting points could cause significant chain reactions. Therefore, the decision was made to delay bus times by two hours to adjust the course schedules and maintain operational stability as much as possible.
Giddens emphasized, “The safety of students and staff is our top priority… Although it was ultimately determined to be a false alarm, until a threat is confirmed to be non-existent, we treat it as credible.”