MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade police arrested a 37-year-old man Monday on accusations that he threatened to burn down his son’s private, Jewish school.
According to Mark Polyakov’s arrest report, his son was expelled from Scheck Hillel Community School last week over comments Polyakov made on a chat involving other parents that was named “No More Masks Hillel.”
Police said Polyakov posted several messages on the chat, including “You should of told that board member go f*** yourself. We will leave and burn Hillel down to the ground. That’s why their rankings have steadily gone down! What’s his name? This board member.”
According to the arrest report, Polyakov also posted a photo of the school’s athletic field and wrote, “I want to burn this school to the f***in ground! This is what they are doing outside, forcing f***in masks (in) 80 degrees. You can’t be nice. Gets you nowhere.”
Police said an anonymous parent reported the comments last week to the school’s administration and Polyakov’s son was expelled from the school as a result.
Polyakov was also ordered not to return to the school campus.
Police said Polyakov took to the parents’ chat again on Thursday and wrote, “I just got kicked out of Hillel. I will burn this school down.”
Polyakov was taken into custody Monday at his home in Sunny Isles Beach. Police said he invoked his right not to speak with detectives.
Polyakov faces one count of written threats to kill or do bodily harm. He posted bond and has been released from jail.
The Scheck Hillel Community School did release a statement, which read, in part:
“We have zero tolerance for aggressive or violent language or behavior and are grateful for the assistance of law enforcement and the overwhelming support of our families in our ongoing efforts to keep our children safe.”