2nd Bomb Threat Made To Ellen Ochoa Elementary; Parents Check Students Out Of School

Someone called in a bomb threat two days in a row at the Ellen Ochoa elementary school in the Union school district. Tuesday's threat happened around 6 a.m., but Wednesday's threat came in after students were already in class.

Tulsa Police said that officers responded to the school just before 9 a.m. after bomb threats against the school were emailed to Tulsa media outlets. Police said students went into a 10-minute shelter-in-place while they searched the campus.

Classes resumed after no credible threats were found, but some parents are upset.

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One Ellen Ochoa parent said it's unnerving. "My wife got it and then she called me saying that there was another threat, that they're on lock down and so I ran," said Richard Kisler.

As soon as parents were notified about the threat, they flooded to the school. "I was scared, real terrified for my baby," said another parent, Lisa Campbell.

Union Public Schools said the threats were called in, in response to a Tik-Tok video posted by a Union staff member, against State Superintendent Ryan Walters and some of his views.

"You know we've got some leadership out there that is making some comments, throwing comments very loosely," said Chris Payne with Union Public Schools.

Payne said the threats have made it difficult for students to start their learning. "It's very disruptive. Yesterday we lost a couple of hours in the school day to it, and again we've had a disruption," he said.

After getting this call not once, but twice, parents are fed up. "I'm going to the board of education and I'm going to move her somewhere else. I know it can happen at any school, but two times, I'm going to move her," said Campbell.

Payne said it's unfortunate these threats have led some to choose to leave the district. "We want to have a safe, friendly environment so they can learn and thrive and that's all we want," he said.

Union Public Schools said there will be a continued police presence at the school throughout the week.

The Social Media Post That Is Believed To Be Connected To The Threats

In the video the staff member included a statement about her "woke agenda"

"POV: Teachers in your state are dropping like flies but are still just not quite finished pushing your woke agenda at the public school"

In the caption of the video on TikTok, the staff member elaborated:

“My radical liberal agenda is teaching kids to love books and be kind hbu?? I think I'm going to make one of these every year until I die or end my teaching era,” the woman wrote."

The video was then shared on Twitter (X) and then shared again by Walters who claimed it was an example of "woke ideology" that he planned to fight it.

Story Timeline: Threat Made Ochoa Elementary In Tulsa

The community school of Ellen Ochoa Elementary was shut down Tuesday morning after a bomb threat was made to the school.

Tulsa Police gave the all-clear just after 8:30 a.m. after an investigation of the building. Police have not said when this threat was made or if there are any suspects at this time.

Shana Harris, the Principal at Ellen Ochoa Elementary, released the statement below:

This morning we received a call from the Tulsa Police Department regarding a bomb threat made against Ochoa Elementary. Once informed of this threat, we made the decision to delay the start of school until 10:30 a.m., to give TPD time to investigate the threat and walk through the school to ensure that it was safe for students and staff to return. We received an “all clear” message from TPD around 8:45 a.m.

The Tulsa Police Department are working to identify the source of the threat. We do know this threat came into local media who then informed TPD. Please know we take any threat against our school, students, and staff seriously. We will have extra security and TPD at Ochoa as a precautionary measure.

As a reminder, safety and security are everyone’s responsibility. We must remain vigilant as it takes all of us working together to ensure a safe and secure teaching and learning environment for all.