From Superintendent Faulkner: I want to take a few moments to clarify and address some of the concerns and criticisms regarding the handling of yesterday’s (Thursday, April 23, 2026) bomb threat.
First, I want to acknowledge that situations like this create a great deal of worry for our families and staff. That concern is completely understandable. Unfortunately, in today’s climate, schools across the country must be prepared to respond to these types of threats. For that reason, we have established safety plans and procedures that are designed to ensure a swift, coordinated, and effective response in situations like this.
To provide full transparency, I would like to provide an exact timeline of how yesterday’s events transpired. Yesterday at 1:20, l was made aware of a phone call received at Adair County Elementary School warning of a pipe bomb that was placed on the outside of the school building. ACES immediately initiated their lockdown procedures, and an emergency call was placed to 911, informing them of our situation. As an extra precaution, all schools on the Adair County campus were placed on immediate lockdown. I was in contact with our Columbia Chief of Police, members of the Sheriff’s Department, and members of the state police, who all informed me that they were making a coordinated effort to do a sweep of the entire campus to make sure that everything was safe. Employees of the board of education were on site at the school, aiding first responders in securing the area.
At 1:41, the area around ACES had been deemed to be secure, but we took extra precautions and had them sweep the other schools, the football field, and the bus garage. Once the area around ACES was secured, we moved from a hard lockdown to a soft lockdown. This means that staff and students can move within the building, but we do not allow anyone to leave or enter the building.
At approximately, 1:54, I instructed another member of the board of education to make a Facebook post informing the public that we had had someone call in a bomb threat to campus, and that local and state authorities were on site to secure the scene. Please, understand that from the time that the threat was made to the time that we were able to inform the public, communication was ongoing between me, school personnel, city police, county police, and state police.
At approximately 2:11, the soft lockdown was lifted, and normal operations were able to occur. For me to make a One Call, I have to be in front of my computer to log in to a program, indicate in the program to whom the call goes, record the message, and then send it out. I was able to be back in my office at approximately 2:20 to do that. The call went to everyone at 2:29.
In a perfect world, we would be able to pause the situation or call a time-out. Everything would hold in place, and we would be able to make a phone call or a quicker Facebook post. The reality is, in the moment, getting information out to the public or the media is not, nor will it ever be, our first priority. Our first priority is always going to be the safety and security of our students and staff members, and for that, I am completely unapologetic.
I am extremely proud of the way we handled ALL aspects of yesterday’s events. The Emergency Management Plans developed and led by Mr. Robbie Harmon were executed flawlessly. The quick response of our principals and teachers was outstanding, and their ability to remain calm and student-centered was perfect. I am also grateful for the swift support and professionalism of our local and state law enforcement agencies. Even though this was an unfortunate event, it was a shining example of how multiple entities in our community can work together effectively.
In summation, I understand that these situations are an unfortunate reality in today’s climate. In moments like these, the easy thing to do is to point fingers or often criticize, especially when emotions are high. However, please know that our focus will remain on facts, preparation and actions taken to ensure the safety of all 2500 students and 400 employees. Yesterday, those actions were carried out flawlessly.
Sincerely,
Jason C. Faulkner, Superintendent
Adair County Public Schools
