DOE: School bus threats found not credible

Threatening emails that included school buses among potential targets of violence were not found to be credible, the state Education Department said Wednesday.

The department had advised school districts on Monday that various state officials had received emails threatening school buses, as well as state offices and the Legislature. The department's initial advisory warned school workers involved in student transportation to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity.

Some school districts, including Huntington and Syosset, then posted a message to district residents on their websites warning about potential violence on school buses.

Wednesday, the Education Department said it had been told by the state's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services that "although law enforcement authorities are treating this threat seriously and continue to investigate, they are not considering this a credible threat at this time."

A department spokesman, Tom Dunn, said that the messages were based on information provided by Homeland Security, and that his agency decided to issue its own advisory because school buses were specifically mentioned as possible targets.

On Long Island, local school officials took the changing advisories in stride.

Henry Grishman, superintendent of Jericho schools, said that districts normally receive initial warnings of threats considered serious either from Homeland Security or State Police. Thus, Grishman added, he was not surprised when the Education Department issued its later message downplaying the level of potential threat.

Grishman, a former president of the State Council of School Superintendents, stressed, however, that he did not fault the Education Department for issuing its initial warning regarding buses.

"If it wound up being a credible threat, everyone would have said, 'Thank you for letting us know early,' " he said.

James Rogan, director of safety and training for Educational Bus Transportation of Copiague, said his company posted a letter to employees alerting them to the threat and reminded drivers to be thorough on daily safety checks.

"Since our drivers do the same routes every day, they know those neighborhoods inside and out," Rogan said. "One little thing can trigger a response, and we encourage them to report anything out of the ordinary."

Rogan said his company services about 30 school districts on Long Island and several private schools.