Parents upset not made aware of threat
Updated: January 30, 2013
TUSCOLA -- Parents are wondering why they weren't notified immediately about a threat to the school their kids attend. Police say a Douglas County man threatened to shoot and kill students at North Ward Elementary. Timothy Little was arrested Sunday after his wife called police. But, as WCIA-3's Erica Quednau learned, many parents didn't find out until Tuesday about the incident.
"My kids have gone to school here for their whole lives and I've always felt safe. Now, ever since December, with this going on, I've got wishy-washy feelings in my belly. I do want to let my kids go to school tomorrow, but I'm not sure."
That's because James Hollenbeck had to find out about a threat at his children's school from a neighbor. He has three kids who attend North Ward.
"As parents, we should have been entitled to, 'hey, there was a threat made,' regardless if the gentleman made it on the property."
He's talking about 36-year old Timothy Little whose stepson also attends North Ward. Little told his wife he planned to go there Monday.
"She testified he began gathering guns on the dining room table, and that's when he told her, you know, 'I'm taking these guns and going to North Ward tomorrow, and every kid I kill is going to be on your head.'"
Police found 50 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition in his home.
"They got a duty to let us know that they're doing their job to protect children at all costs."
District leaders say they started contacting parents Monday to let them know about the threat. But, many parents say they didn't find out until Tuesday afternoon; some through a recorded message from the school; others by word-of-mouth.
"I think it should have been handled differently. I want answers and I think everybody in the community wants answers who has children."
The state's attorney says there was never any immediate danger to the school. The district superintendent didn't have any comment.
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"My kids have gone to school here for their whole lives and I've always felt safe. Now, ever since December, with this going on, I've got wishy-washy feelings in my belly. I do want to let my kids go to school tomorrow, but I'm not sure."
That's because James Hollenbeck had to find out about a threat at his children's school from a neighbor. He has three kids who attend North Ward.
"As parents, we should have been entitled to, 'hey, there was a threat made,' regardless if the gentleman made it on the property."
He's talking about 36-year old Timothy Little whose stepson also attends North Ward. Little told his wife he planned to go there Monday.
"She testified he began gathering guns on the dining room table, and that's when he told her, you know, 'I'm taking these guns and going to North Ward tomorrow, and every kid I kill is going to be on your head.'"
Police found 50 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition in his home.
"They got a duty to let us know that they're doing their job to protect children at all costs."
District leaders say they started contacting parents Monday to let them know about the threat. But, many parents say they didn't find out until Tuesday afternoon; some through a recorded message from the school; others by word-of-mouth.
"I think it should have been handled differently. I want answers and I think everybody in the community wants answers who has children."
The state's attorney says there was never any immediate danger to the school. The district superintendent didn't have any comment.
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