Following the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4th, we have received several vague threats, both verbally and on social media, as well as rumors of threats. Most of these threats were made using fake social media accounts, and as a result, one adult and three juveniles have been detained and arrested for communicating terroristic threats.
Our administrators, SROs, local law enforcement, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation have been diligently working to identify the origin and credibility of these threats. We will continue to collaborate closely with them to ensure a safe learning environment for your children and our school staff.
This issue is not unique to Glynn County Schools; there appears to be a trend of creating fake accounts to issue threats, just to test if detection can be avoided. Please be assured that we take all threats seriously and will investigate each instance thoroughly.
We urge you to discuss with your child the seriousness of making threats of violence, whether on campus or on social media. The consequences for such actions will be swift and severe.
While some may view these threats as jokes, we do not. To clarify, here’s how we define threats and why we don’t take them lightly (as outlined in the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct):
“Any threat through written or verbal language or act which creates a fear of harm and/or conveys a serious expression of intent to harm, or violence without displaying a weapon and without subjecting the victim to actual physical attack (including physical, verbal, or electronic threats but not limited to bomb threats or pulling the fire alarm).”
We encourage parents to familiarize themselves with the Code of Conduct and to support it in their daily communications with their children and others in the community.
Additionally, we ask that instead of reposting or sharing these anonymous threats on social media, you immediately contact the school or Central Office administration. This will allow us to be as close to the origin of the threat as possible and expedite the investigation.
As always, we all play a crucial role in maintaining safe learning environments. If you see something, say something. Threats have no place in education and will not be tolerated in Glynn County Schools. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.