Bing: Social media threat against Columbia High School found to be ‘misunderstanding’

MAPLEWOOD, NJ __ The South Orange & Maplewood School District has determined that the social media posts circulating online that threatened Columbia High School was a “misunderstanding” involving a student.

Supt. Jason Bing updated the community on Sunday night about what he originally called in an earlier note a “concerning situation” that surfaced over the weekend.

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But authorities, including local law enforcement, school staff and medical professionals identified and evaluated the student responsible for the post, he said.

“Authorities have confirmed that the student does not threaten the school community. The post appears to have been taken out of context, but we are grateful for the proactive actions of the student who raised the concern,” he wrote.

Bing noted that the student and their family have been fully cooperative. He said as a precaution, the district will conduct further evaluations before the school day begins on Monday.

The nature of the social media posts was unclear.

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Earlier on Sunday, Bing wrote the community about the threat and noted both the Maplewood and South Orange police were actively investigating the credibility of the threat.

Later Sunday he commended a district student for “taking the proper steps and reporting the potential threat.”

“This type of vigilance is what school communities encourage to ensure the safety of loved ones,” Bing wrote.

Bing thanked the community for its support and trust, and urged families to speak with their students about “the importance of responsible digital citizenship and being mindful of their online footprints.”

“What is shared online can have lasting consequences, and students must understand the impact of their actions in digital spaces,” he wrote.

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