Indiana high school teacher reportedly removed for writing threatening message on chalkboard

(CBS) - An Indiana teacher was removed from a high school campus Friday after writing a threatening message to his students on a chalkboard, CBS Chicago reports.

The message was written to a group of sophomores and juniors taking a personal finance class at Edison Junior-Senior High School in Lake Station, Ind. and included the phrases, "You are idiots," ''The guns are loaded" and "Care to try me?"

No criminal charges were filed, but the teacher was told to leave the school on Friday morning, Lake Station Supt. Dan DeHaven said.

"We're not saying in fact that there is a threat. That's what we're determining by interviewing the students, the staff," said Police Chief Kevin Garber.

DeHaven said the 28-year veteran teacher wasn't in school Monday and wouldn't be back pending an internal investigation.

The chalkboard message came to the school's attention after a student snapped a cell phone picture of it and posted it to Facebook, DeHaven said. The school resource officer who continually monitors students' Facebook pages saw the picture and reported it to school administrators.

"He had been absent two days prior, and he was reacting to some comments that were made by the substitute teacher," DeHaven said.

A district-wide phone call went out to parents Monday, and told them that "your student was never in danger" and "the staff member is currently not in school."