Amid tight security, school goes on in Granville

By 

The Columbus Dispatch

Tuesday October 4, 2011 8:16 AM

Granville school officials said the school day went off without a hitch yesterday despite heavy
security measures in the wake of a bomb threat.

Students at Granville High School and Middle School were allowed to enter the building only
through the main entrance, where their bags were searched and they were forced to discard any
liquids. Seniors also were forbidden to leave campus for lunch, and police officers and dogs made
periodic sweeps of the grounds.

The precautions were put in place after graffiti found at the entrance to the school’s football
stadium last week stated “there will be a bomb” followed by the date “10/03/2011” and “12 o’c
lock.”

The graffiti was written on stone slabs in red marker.

High School Principal Ryan Bernath said many students complied with the district’s request that
students not bring bags to school yesterday, and those who did seemed to pack light in anticipation
of searches.

“Everyone was in the building and in class in time for the start of school,” he said.

Superintendent Jeff Brown said several law enforcement agencies, including Granville police, the
Columbus Bomb Squad, the State Highway Patrol and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives helped secure the buildings.

Brown complimented the officers on doing their jobs in a way that did not disrupt the school
day.

Brown said those responsible for the graffiti have not been caught.

jjarman@dispatch.com