Baldwin County schools prepare for first day amid MCPSS threats

Published: Aug. 9, 2022 at 8:12 PM CDT

SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) - Summer waved goodbye to Baldwin County students, and lots of kids went to bed early Tuesday night to be bright eyed for the first bell Wednesday.

Spanish Fort police told drivers what they need to be prepared for in the morning traffic. Be on the lookout for kids loading and unloading and remember all lanes of traffic must stop.

“Please be aware while driving through school zones to pay attention and be alert, especially around cross walks,” said Sgt. Steven Mooney.

Police pinpointed specific areas where traffic can get clogged in Spanish Fort, like Highway 31 near Rockwell Elementary. Sgt. Mooney warned drivers to pack their patience.

“Probably the hardest of all for people sometimes is just please be patient,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of traffic and a lot of people are going to be confused on where they are supposed to go.”

Responding to the threat towards Mobile County Public Schools Tuesday, police Chief John Barber said there will be a larger police presence on school grounds the first few days.

“Unfortunately, every school year, we see kids making threats against a certain school,” said Chief Barber. “These are taken very seriously by law enforcement, and we investigate every threat immediately.”

Chief Barber warned against any funny business, and addressed the shooting in Uvalde, Texas in May, saying safety is the first thing on every parent’s mind.

“When they drop off their kids every day, they want to know their kids are safe and are going to get a good education,” he said. “At the end of the day, they are going to pick them up, take them home, and do it again the next day.”

Every public Baldwin County school has armed resource officers.

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