For the third time in just over a year, a bullet was found on campus, this time in the Mundelein locker room prior to the Oct. 20 football game at West Campus. In response,  the administration increased security to protect spectators and a notice was sent out after the game to update the community.

It’s not just happening here. A simple Google search of “bullet found in school” yields hundreds of similar incidents in schools across the country.  

While the intentions range from pranks to accidents, the effects are consistent: fear and confusion. 

Police officers, of course, cannot dismiss the cases as harmless pranks, so investigations start immediately. Pranksters may not realize the act is a crime that can lead to serving six months in prison. 

“Students across the nation call in threats as jokes, but this is a serious problem. It’s like shouting fire in a movie theater. This act ruins health and lives,” said Director of Security Mr. Lane Linder.

Not all bullet incidents are threats or pranks. Some are mistakes or cases of negligence.

The case of the bullet found in the library last school year, for example, was resolved when a student stepped forward to claim responsibility. Linder added that the student had no “malicious intent,” but he made a “poor series of decisions.” 

What can we do to ensure safety?

Linder said that the school actively works on improving “protective factors,”  which means providing support for students who might be struggling with mental health.

 “To try and reduce those risks, we also look at what is called social determinants of health,” he said.

The school administration has increased efforts to teach students how to confidentially report suspicious behavior. 

The number one key is trust, but police and security often withhold some information. For example, when the bullet was found in the locker room, a message did not immediately go out to students and parents. 

“Giving out information is like a balancing act. Police know about 80% of the total information available, but we only give out around 2% to the public. This ensures safety and confidentiality, ” said Linder. 

One of LFHS’ goals this year has been to improve communication with the community. This was demonstrated through quick releases of messages during the lockdown.  Despite the communication, some worried parents tried to pick their children up from school. 

“The point of the lockdown is to keep everyone safe, while also learning more about what is present in the school. By arriving at the school in a panic to pick up your child, you add to the overall panic,” Principal Dr. Erin Lenart said.

Linder says he understands the concerns. 

“We hope a real lockdown never happens here at Lake Forest High School, and we understand that if it ever does, you want to understand where your child is in this situation. But by calling, texting, or getting in contact with your student or staff member who is trying to hide or fight the situation, you add to the unknown. What if your child is hiding from a real threat and their phone starts audibly ringing? This goes against the balance of everything we are trying to do,” says Linder.