Physical Violence and Threats

Physical Violence 

The Summer School strives to maintain a safe and secure environment for all members of the community and thus does not tolerate physical violence used by or against the members of the community. Students are expected to avoid all physical conflicts, confrontations, and altercations unless their own safety or that of another is at extreme jeopardy. Failure to do so will ordinarily result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to requirement to withdraw from the Summer School (see also Conduct in the Community). 

Threats Involving Deadly Weapons, Explosives, Bombs, Chemical or Biological Agents, or Other Deadly Devices or Substances 

The following provision of Massachusetts law concerning certain kinds of threats underscores why such behavior must be treated by the Summer School as an actionable offense: 

Whoever willfully communicates or causes to be communicated, either directly or indirectly, orally, in writing, by mail, by use of a telephone or telecommunication device including, but not limited to, electronic mail, Internet communications and facsimile communications, through an electronic communication device or by any other means, a threat … that a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon, as defined in section 121 of chapter 140, an explosive or incendiary device, a dangerous chemical or biological agent, a poison, a harmful radioactive substance or any other device, substance or item capable of causing death, serious bodily injury or substantial property damage, will be used at a place or location, or is present or will be present at a place or location, whether or not the same is in fact used or present … shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 20 years or imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2-1/2 years, or by fine of not more than $10,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment. 

Whoever willfully communicates or causes to be communicated such a threat thereby causing either the evacuation or serious disruption of a school, school related event, school transportation, or a dwelling, building, place of assembly, facility or public transport, or an aircraft, ship or common carrier, or willfully communicates or causes serious public inconvenience or alarm, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 3 years nor more than 20 years or imprisonment in the house of correction for not less than 6 months nor more than 2-1/2 years, or by fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $50,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment. 

[Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 14(b)-(c)] 

In the event that a student is threatened by any of the means above, contact the HUPD