Schools

As Tufts bomb threats continue, a staffer is clapping back by raising money for educational equity

"I want to condemn these racist threats through action."

Tufts University. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

December 22, 2022

Tufts University received more bomb threats on Wednesday and Thursday — the fifth and sixth threats of this kind made over the past week.

The university did not publicly acknowledge these latest threats as of Thursday morning, although Boston.com and other media outlets received the emailed threats that were also sent to the school.

In each of the prior incidents, authorities found no bombs or suspicious objects, school officials have said.

In a letter to the Tufts community on Tuesday, following the third threat, Tufts University President Anthony Monaco said the emailer — or emailers — stated their opposition to the school’s diversity, equity, inclusion and justice values and the “hard work we have done collectively and the much-needed and difficult conversations within our institution to move forward.”

Tufts threats:

In that vein, Kevin Mullen, a staff member at the university, devised a way to show the school’s support for anti-racist ideals amid the threats.

“I was appalled by the bomb threats made this week targeting Tufts’ diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice programming and as a Tufts community member, I want to condemn these racist threats through action,” Mullen wrote on a GoFundMe campaign he launched in response to raise money for the Boston Schools Fund.

The fund awards grants to schools around the city to advance equity in education, Mullen wrote.

The fundraiser raised $125 of its $1,000 goal as of Thursday morning.

In his letter earlier this week, Monaco wrote the threats have “been unnerving to members of our community, especially those who are deeply involved in DEIJ work, and those who actively participate in these programs, support our colleagues, and work towards our institution’s noble mission.

“We understand the deep anxiety and fear that you have been experiencing — we are here for you.”

The threats began on Dec. 14. Since then, some exams were moved online, and the university stepped up patrols on its Medford-Somerville campus and at its other locations.

“The investigation of these threats will take some time and the nature of the investigation prevents us from disclosing much at this time,” Monaco wrote. “However, I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to identify the culprits while keeping our community safe.”