Local School Districts Respond to Recent Threats

School officials in Platte County are dealing with terrorist threats. Two students sit behind bars tonight accused of plotting a Columbine-like attack on their school. In St. Joseph, it`s business as usual the school district plans to follow normal security procedures. District Spokesman Steve Huff says officials are aware and prepared for the anniversary but did not see the need to increase security. He says skipping school tomorrow will not be an excused absence but he says parents do have the right to keep their child out of school. Meanwhile, a much different story for Platte County High School. Superintendent Dr. Mark Harpst says security will be heightened but he could not say specifically how the school will do that. The reason for the increase...The discovery of an alleged deadly plot created by seventeen year olds, Trevor Fattig and Sean Amos. Harpst says law enforcement will be visible on school grounds in addition to normal security procedures. He says the entire district has security cameras and it is always on lock down. That means no one can enter or leave the school unless they go through one of the main entrances which are under surveillance. Harpst says tomorrow`s security risk isn`t any different from any other day because the students charged with making the threats will be in jail and not at school. Tomorrow already will be a difficult day for the school. A funeral will be held for Platte County senior David Sheetz who died in a car crash last weekend.