As Farmingdale High School students this week prepared for final examinations and, 12th graders, for graduation, they were faced with an added source of anxiety - the threat of gun violence in school.

Last Wednesday, a senior at the high school allegedly flashed what looked like a gun after threatening another student. After the incident was reported to administration, a search of the student's locker turned up two guns and two knives. Neither of the guns contained ammunition, according to Farmingdale Schools Superintendent Gerard W. Dempsey, Jr., who noted that one was a phony replica which could not have been fired, and the other was a black powder target pistol which could have been fired if it had contained ammunition. Police arrested the student that day. He was then released to his parents and was to be arraigned at a later date. He also was suspended from school for five days, during which time a superintendent's hearing would address possible further disciplinary action.

"This is a very serious incident," Dempsey said in an interview last week, noting however, that he was pleased with the way it was handled by students (who reported the incident), administration, police, and the charged student's parents, who he noted were cooperating with school administrators. In an effort to step up security at the high school, the district has increased the presence of personnel there. Dempsey added, "We will be meeting to review all of our security procedures."

The incident has caused anxiety not only in school, but also in the parent community. "Parents were shocked that it happened in Farmingdale," Tina Diamond, president of the Farmingdale Council of PTAs (Parent Teacher Associations) this week said about the incident, although she added that she was glad that school officials responded quickly, and that students told authorities about the incident immediately. PTA leaders had met with school officials immediately following the incident to discuss it.

To stress the point that the district will take all threats of violence seriously, school administrators also investigated a report that another student on Thursday allegedly claimed to have a gun. "That was an alleged, overheard statement," Dempsey said. "The student has denied that that's what was said." Citing district policy, the superintendent declined to elaborate on the disciplinary action taken against the student, but noted its purpose was to emphasize the point that the district will follow up and investigate every alleged incident. He added, "It's really important for every student to understand that we will not tolerate anything like this, and that we will not even tolerate any humor about it. It's just too serious a topic."

To the best of Dempsey's knowledge, this was the first threat of gun violence at Farmingdale High School. "I'm not aware of any gun incidents," he said, although he added, "We've had other concerns with knives or box cutters, or things of that type."