Martin Luther King Jr. School in Northeast Portland Cancels Its School Carnival, Frightened by Violent Threats

The move follows threats to Good in the Hood, a nonprofit that runs a multicultural and food festival, which has space on the same campus.

Martin Luther King Jr. elementary school. (Julie Showers)
By Rachel Monahan

Portland Public Schools' Martin Luther King Jr. School in Northeast Portland canceled its school carnival scheduled for this afternoon after a group that has offices on its campus received threats of violence.

The multicultural music and food festival organized by Good in the Hood received a letter threatening violence.

Rumors circulated about the threats to the school, too, and the school carnival was canceled even though "there has been no credible evidence of a threat to the school or the community," write principal Jill Sage.

A message posted to Good in the Hood's page says they plan to move forward with the festival later this month.

Below is the letter from the principal sent to families earlier today:

"Dear MLK Jr. community,

We have remained vigilant throughout the day to maintain the safety of our students. The police and school staff have taken the alleged threats seriously. There has been no credible evidence of a threat to the school or community. PTA has chosen to cancel the carnival due to the uncertainty of the current climate. We have received several calls today about alleged activity in the community and alleged flyers and graffiti. That information is not credible and we have not experienced any of this. We take the safety of your students very seriously. Portland Police and PPS security will remain on campus through dismissal until all students have left the building. Staff reassured students who had questions or concerns about the situation. We will continue to monitor the information in conjunction with Portland Police and will report back all pertinent information to you as soon as possible. Thank you for standing with us during these difficult time.

With gratitude,

Jill Sage

Principal"

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