Taunton Police investigating multiple threats made to Taunton school staff over “rope” incident

TAUNTON — Chief Edward J. Walsh reports that the Taunton Police Department is investigating multiple threatening and harassing phone calls and social media posts that have been made toward Taunton Public Schools staff this week.

The threatening messages are in response to the school district’s handling of a recent incident at Elizabeth Pole Elementary School where a second-grade student’s neck was injured by a jump rope on the playground.

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School Resource Officers have reviewed the Taunton Public School’s initial report on this incident, which indicates that four second graders were playing a game on the playground with a jump rope, when a girl in the group was injured. The school district’s report indicates that there was no intent to injure.

As this matter involved all children under the age of 12, Taunton Police say they do not have jurisdiction and do not have involvement in the school department’s investigation into that incident.

However, the resulting threats toward staff made in response to this incident are actively being investigated by Taunton Police detectives.

Anyone who is found to have made these threats or engaging in any subsequent threatening or harassing behavior toward school staff may face criminal charges.