Schools in Roanoke, New River valleys keep vigilant against threats on social media
Internet memes are supposed to be funny, but social media posts about school threats are serious business, according to warnings this week from school administrators in the Roanoke and New River Valleys.
Early into this academic year, public schools closed on each of the last two Fridays in Pulaski County. Superintendent Robert Graham has been writing updates on the school division's social media pages.
"As much as I hate to close schools again, I think it is necessary," Graham wrote on Thursday night. "It is better to air on the side of caution than take a chance on going to school when an investigation regarding school threats is not complete."
Law enforcement spent hours on Friday interviewing students about memes posted online the night prior. The threat investigations caused Pulaski to postpone its Friday night high school football game against Lord Botetourt until 11 a.m. Saturday.
"We have met with a number of students and families and have identified the student(s) who posted and shared the meme about the threat, but have not been able to determine if there was an actual threat made by a student(s)," Graham wrote Friday. "Students involved in the posting and sharing of the meme will face severe disciplinary consequences."
Increased safety precautions are in play for the Pulaski County football game versus Lord Botetourt on Saturday, Graham wrote. The varsity volleyball game that was canceled on Thursday night will also berescheduled, he said.
"As hard as the last few weeks have been, I know our community will come together as we always do in challenging times," Graham wrote. "We are Pulaski County Proud and we are not going to let threats of this nature ruin the wonderful progress we are making."
Law enforcement deemed threats that closed Pulaski schools last week as non-credible, Graham wrote previously.
"Our schools remain safe and continue to have an increased police presence," Graham wrote.
It's not just Pulaski County that's dealing with threat-related school disruptions after a shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia last week.
Franklin County Superintendent Kevin Siers wrote in an email that his school division has dealt with some generic threats making the rounds on social media.
"It is truly terrible that there seems to be an increasing number of examples where people want to follow unfathomable tragedies, like the one at Apalachee High School, with anonymous social media posts designed to incite fear, heighten anxiety, and disrupt life for students, teachers, and families," Siers wrote. "It truly is a form of terrorism and it is my hope that the legal system will begin assigning the stiffest consequences possible when these individuals are caught."
In Roanoke, the school division posted a message to clarify that a video circulating on TikTok about Georgia receiving "targeted assistance" for school improvement was not a threat.
"Several of the schools listed had the same names as local schools," the message said. "Though no direct threat was made, local law enforcement agencies investigated and determined that no threat was made."
During a school board meeting this week, Roanoke Superintendent Verletta White said part of the work to keep schools safe starts at home.
"I'll ask our parents and guardians to please work with us to check your children's book bags and check their social media accounts," White said. "Talk with them about the consequences of making threats."
Meanwhile, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Friday that a 13-year-old Chesterfield County student was arrested for making threats of a shooting on social media at Salem Church Middle School in that county. The student had no access to weapons, police said.
In the Martinsville area, Henry County and Martinsville law enforcement officials held a news conference Thursday about social media and bomb threats involving schools there. A Magna Vista High School student faces charges in connection with the bomb threat.
Luke Weir (540) 566-8917
