SUMMARY: The White House says more than 80 anonymous bomb threats have been made against HBCUs since January. This figure represents more than 1/3 of HBCUs. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are united in seeking the culprits through an FBI led investigation. Alongside Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security John Tien, and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Vice President Kamala Harris announced that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) at an event on community safety that funding resources are available to these schools.
HBCUs that were targeted with bomb threats in recent months are eligible to receive security grants for their protection. Vice President Kamala Harris, a graduate of the HBCU Howard University announced the federal funds are set aside for some 30 schools across the country that were affected. Harris said in a news conference on Wednesday that the funds will allow schools to enhance campus security and improve mental health services for students. The grants are made available through the Department of Educations ProjectSERV program.
Schools that have received threats that "significantly disrupt the learning environment" are eligible to apply for the short term grants, ranging from $50,000 to $150.000 One third of the nation's HBCUs have been under attack the White House said, adding to the anxiety and alarm in returning to campuses during the pandemic.
The surge of hate has been ongoing since January 4 sending many school into lockdown mode. Close to 60 schools have been contacted anonymously with bomb scares.
Fortunately, no explosives were found, 57 historically Black colleges and universities and houses of worship were targeted by bomb threats between Jan. 4 and Feb. 16, according to a new statement from the FBI. In this same time frame some houses of worhip have also been the targets of threats.
Vice President Harris said they will not be initimidated.
The Department of Homeland Security is also engaged with these universities to protect them from bad actors on campuses nationwide. Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Decurity Tien said that
"We know that the threat against HBCUs has deep historical roots," said Attorney General Merrick Garland, who is in regular contact with the FBI on the matter. Due to this history, all threats are being treated as credible. All agencies are working together to protect the affected school in the interest of public safety.
"This investigation is of the highest priority for the Bureau and involves 31 FBI field offices that are actively working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to identify those involved," read the FBI statement. "The FBI is investigating these cases as racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism and hate crimes."
A DC high school received a bomb thereat in February when Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff visted for a Black History Month presentation. This incident has not bee offically connected to the HBCUs, yet Dunbar where the incident took place, is a historically Black high school.
Most of the schools that have been affected are located in the South. Among them are
The press release from the Department of Education follows:
Harris and the U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have recently experienced a bomb threat resulting in a disruption to the campus learning environment, are eligible to apply for grant funds under the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program.
Project SERV provides short-term immediate funding for local educational agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education (IHEs) that have experienced a violent or traumatic incident to assist in restoring a safe environment conducive to learning.
“The recent bomb threats experienced by HBCUs have shaken students and fractured their sense of safety and belonging, which are critical to their academic success and wellbeing,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “We, at the Department of Education, recognize how these threats evoke a painful history of violence against Black Americans in this country that is especially traumatizing to HBCU students, faculty, and staff. Today’s announcement will improve access to Project SERV grants for HBCUs as these institutions work to address students’ mental health needs, shore up campus security, and restore learning environments so that they can get back to doing what they do best—educating the next generation of great leaders.”
The Department will work with HBCUs that have received recent bomb threats to determine if Project SERV can help with immediate needs, such as targeted mental health resources or enhanced security to restore the learning environment on their campuses. Funding for Project SERV is limited, and awards typically range from $50,000 to $150,000 per school.
"The bomb threats against HBCUs, particularly concentrated in Black History Month, constitute a uniquely traumatic event, given the history of bombings as a tactic to intimidate and provoke fear in Black Americans during the long struggle for civil rights in the 20th century,” said Dietra Trent, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“In this context, even the threat of bombings at HBCUs can have a deep and unsettling impact on students, faculty, and staff that significantly disrupts the learning environment. Our HBCUs are pillars of strength and resiliency, and we will continue working to promote policies and practices that fortify that strength and advance educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity through these institutions.”
The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to ensuring the safety and well-being of students, staff and faculty, and addressing these repeated threats to HBCU campuses. Following the first reports of the threats, Secretary Cardona and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas hosted a briefing with more than 40 presidents of HBCUs from across the nation to share information about grant programs, training resources, and other tools available to HBCUs to strengthen campus safety and security. Biden-Harris Administration leaders have also recently visited HBCU campuses, hearing firsthand about the need to modernize and update their operations, including campus safety and security, and the need for more resources to help bolster mental health services due to increased apprehension across the campus community.
In addition to today’s announcement, the Department will provide HBCUs with a compendium of the resources that are available across the Federal government. These other resources can help with long-term improvements to campus mental health programs, campus safety and emergency management planning and response.
An HBCU that experienced a recent bomb threat may receive more information about the opportunity for support under Project SERV by emailing project.serv@ed.gov.