A youngster was arrested this week for making bomb threats against Lake Grove High School. This follows similar incidents last month in Amityville and Copiague. They point to a lack of understanding on the part of some young people as to the seriousness of this type of crime and deserve to be handled as such by police and the judicial system. That means little or no leeway for these offenders who should face the full measure of punishment provided under the law.

It is not simply an issue that these incidents disrupt education and force others who take school seriously to endure the burden of their poor choices. There is more at stake here. The evacuations that are mandated for these incidents pose threats to students and staff. In Amityville, for example, the evacuation took place on one of the coldest days of the year and many students had to leave the building without their coats. In other incidents students may have to line up on busy highways or streets until the all clear is given and they can return to their classes.

School districts do a tremendous job in helping to ensure that these evacuations are handled professionally, and that students and staff are kept as safe as possible during the evacuations from and return to the school buildings. Emergency planning makes all of that possible, but does not guarantee accidents or other incidents will not occur. For that reason, students need to see that anyone convicted of calling in bomb threats to our schools will be prosecuted and be held fully accountable for their crime.