School Board Seeks Bomb Threat Solution

CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) -- The Allegany County school board wants to get tougher on kids who make bomb threats.

The Cumberland Times-News reports that the board asked the county's legislative delegation Monday to draft a bill enabling police to charge children as young as 13 as adults.

Maryland law currently treats as adults children as young as 14 who are accused of crimes punishable by death or life in prison. Those as young as 16 can be charged as adults for certain other crimes.

School officials say there were about a dozen bomb threats in Allegany County schools last year.

Democratic State Delegate Kevin Kelly says the legislation would be a tough sell.

Board member Mike Llewellyn says he hopes to at least provoke some public discussion of the problem.