Bong scare? Florida school evacuates campus after staff misheard report of ‘bomb’

A Florida school was briefly put on high alert after a staff member misheard the word “bong” as “bomb,” prompting an emergency evacuation. Fortunately for all involved, nothing went up in smoke.

When a concerned family member phoned Marianna High School to report that a student had brought a bong to class in their bag earlier this week, a school employee took it the wrong way, declaring an emergency and evacuating the school over what was interpreted as a bomb threat.

Realizing the error, the school soon issued a statement clearing up the mishap, but nonetheless commended the “quick action” of staff in responding to the scare.

“The investigation has determined the staff member misheard the word during the telephone conversation,” school officials said in a press release. “Superintendent (H. Larry) Moore thanks the quick action by all Marianna High School administration and staff as we strive to keep our students safe.”

A similar misunderstanding took place at a high school in Massachusetts last year, when police responded to reports of a “bomb” in the parking lot. In that case, too, the call to police was actually over a “bong.”

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