Families remain patient, wait for answers

Despite two days of unexpected school closures due to recent threats involving Flathead County schools, for most families in the Flathead, it’s a wait-and-see moment.

The Daily Inter Lake asked our readers on Facebook to sound off about the school shutdown, and the almost unanimous verdict was that we are in this together and we will stand strong and be patient until the authorities determine it’s safe to resume classes and activities as normal.

No decisions have been made whether school will resume or be canceled on Monday, Sept. 18. Pending law enforcement recommendations, administrators plan to contact families no later than 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, notifying them if school will be canceled or not.

Athletic and extracurricular activities have been postponed in addition to games and activities that require traveling over the weekend.

“I’m looking outside my window and there are no kids playing. It’s like a ghost town, but I think we have to trust the professionals ... know what they’re doing,” said Bonnie Zepnick of Whitefish.

While few details have been released about the nature of the threats, people including Zepnick have vocalized appreciation for administrators and law enforcement in being proactive and closing schools.

Zepnick, who is a substitute teacher in Columbia Falls School District, expressed her gratitude to Columbia Falls Superintendent Steve Bradshaw for making the initial decision Wednesday night to close school on Thursday and for law enforcement’s “tireless efforts to protect and serve our community.”

“We’re definitely wondering what’s going on, but we understand,” Zepnick said, who is the parent of a high school-aged daughter whose father is a retired police lieutenant. “Especially after the shooting [in a Washington school that left one dead and three injured] you can’t minimize it.”

Zepnick said the situation has left her with a deep sadness.

“I’m sad about what this generation has to deal with,” she said. “This is heartbreaking. This is an angry world now. We have to just reassure the kids that everyone is doing everything they can so you can go back to school and be with your friends again.”

Zepnick said the school closures will be particularly hard for students where school is the only safe place they have to go — or the only place to receive a meal.

“No child should have to ever fear being at school,” Zepnick said. “It’s just heartbreaking, but I really think this is the new normal.”

For Tami Fahey-Lane of Kalispell, the parent of elementary-aged children, the unfolding events have seemingly deprived her of a sense of security after moving to the valley from what she described as a “crime-ridden” area of Oregon.

“In light of recent events here, I have to say that I’m feeling a wide range of conflicting emotions,” Fahey-Lane said. “I’m fearful for my children because we have absolutely no information coming from law enforcement regarding the nature of these threats. All we know is that “it’s a credible threat, the FBI is involved, our kids were targeted and threatened and we have persons of interest.” And in all honesty, I am angry. I’m angry that our children were threatened in our beautiful valley. I’m angry that I now have to carry my gun again in case I do need to protect myself or my children.”

Yet, Fahey-Lane expressed her belief in law enforcement.

“I’m anxious to see the perpetrator caught. I want our kids to feel safe to go to school again. I have faith in our law enforcement agencies and I am so grateful to them for making the decision to keep our kids safe. Until then, I am constantly searching for new updates on the whole situation,” she said.

Through the confusion, what seems to be the toughest part of all is explaining why violence happens in schools.

“I had to have a talk with my oldest son about what was happening. Explain what happened in the Spokane area the other day. I explained the Columbine shooting when I was a teenager, the Sandy Hook shooting when he was a toddler. I cried. He just looked at me with his sweet face and asked “But Mom, why did those people do those things?” I couldn’t answer him. I just had to chip away at a part of his childhood innocence by saying ‘Son, its a very scary world today and we don’t know why bad things happen. We just need to be the good in light of the bad,” Fahey-Lane said.

While Kalispell resident Robert Windorski said he understood law enforcement not revealing details that could impede the ongoing investigation, he was concerned that the lack of information, specifically the nature of the threats, may be causing a panic in the community. (On Thursday, a number of rumors circulated about violent incidents that turned out to be false or wildly overblown.)

Grant Hughes wrote that, “The impact on the economy is really hard to measure. I’m not working for two days to stay home with kids. That could mean no Thanksgiving vacation for some. It could mean lost income altogether for many others. I’m hopeful they are not overreacting. If it turns out to be a distraught 15-year-old ... and was a massive overreaction, people will take them less seriously in the future and it sends a message to kids, who have little real concept of consequences, that this level of disruption can be made.”

Another comment came in from Mikal Bailey, who said, “I trust our authorities and school administrators and thank them for taking the appropriate steps to protect our children.”

He noted that the Kalispell Public Schools superintendent “has provided regular communication and updates,” and said, “We will know in due time” what caused the shutdown. “I love to see the positive support in our community for our schools and law enforcement.”

Julieanna Renner of Bigfork said after living in the valley for 30 years this was the first time she has seen schools closed because of threats.

“When it comes to public safety, it is always best to err on the side of caution. It is hard for lots of parents to find instant daycare. But better safe than sorry,” Renner said.

Renner said that maybe this is the opportunity to open a broader conversation in the community on how to address and work toward helping prevent crime in the valley.

“This is and always has been a safe place; we and our law enforcement presence would like it to stay that way. People need to speak up when they see or hear anything. Be proactive; speak up and tell someone,” Renner said.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.