A crime scene unit was on the scene investigating a threat that was found inside a boy's bathroom of a Newark Public School on Wednesday afternoon.
According to authorities, just before 3:20 p.m., they activated a crime scene unit when school officials alerted them of a message that was left on a wall of a bathroom alluding to potentially causing harm to staff and students in the building.
According to police, the message read: "Tomorrow's, enjoy your half-day.... " "it will be your last." Thursday is a half-day for students due to parental conferences with teachers while they retrieve report cards.
Parents of students were alerted in the late evening hours by robocall about the situation, but some parents were skeptical about measures put in place regarding this incident and safety concerns since the school has had racial tensions in the past.
Race relations placed the school's National Blue Ribbon of Excellence into question after controversy over the admissions process spilled over at the institution when a group of mostly black parents urged the administration to overhaul the 'flawed' system.
The group of parents said the admission process saw a disproportionately small share of black students accepted and a disproportionately more significant share of the school are white and Hispanic. "A relatively few come from certain city wards with many black residents," according to the group.
During the discussion of the issue, several parents and students said they witnessed or heard about incidents where white and Hispanic students used the N-word, which was occasionally directed at black students.
Over the summer, amid racial tensions and complaints of cultural insensitivity at Science Park High School, Newark Superintendent Roger Leon replaced the principal and other administrators.
Authorities have not reported if the message left on the wall in the bathroom is credible at this time.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. No arrests have been reported.