Horry County Schools has sent a district-wide letter to parents regarding rumors of threats that have been received by schools.
Horry Schools spokesperson Lisa Bourcier sent the letter in an email from interim school superintendent Eddie Ingram.
The letter says, “In the wake of the September 4 mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia , there has been a national spike in school threats, and Horry County Schools has not been exempt. Several of our schools have been plagued by many rumors of threats and by social media posts perpetuating these rumors throughout the week.
“School administrators have sent multiple parent messages acknowledging these rumors, and all information has been shared with our local law enforcement partners who are assisting us with the investigations.”
The letter said that the district and law enforcement see the same messages that have been shared repeatedly on social media, adding that often a message is edited to replace the school name.
“When students or adults repost messages on social media and don’t report through the appropriate channels, it perpetuates fear and creates additional safety issues,” Ingram said in the letter. “It diverts resources from the school and law enforcement, complicates investigations, and makes it challenging to share accurate information with parents in a timely manner.”
Earlier this week parents at four Horry County Schools reported receiving emails stating that staff had received a potential threat at the campus and posted that information on social media. At least one of the schools said additional police presence would be at the school.
Mike Frederick, the new executive director of safety and security for Horry County Schools, said Wednesday morning that he was unaware of any additional police being sent to any schools. He said there may have been an additional school resource officer, but his office had not ordered any additional police presence.
Frederick said his office receives threats every day, and each one is evaluated for its credibility and the appropriate response.
“Our challenge is shifting through the wacky,” he said. “That’s why we have to be systematic” and go through every threat received.
Ingram wrote in the letter that “parents can assist HCS and law enforcement by closely monitoring their children’s social media accounts to ensure students report concerns directly to the school or law enforcement. If you come across a concerning post on social media, do not repost it ― this can do more harm than good.”
Students can report a school threat by contacting law enforcement or calling 911; contact school administrators; email Horry County Schools at saysomething@horrycountyschools.net ; make an anonymous report to the School Crime Tip Line at any time by email or phone at 843-915-7767 or srotips@horrycounty.org ; or make an anonymous report by clicking the red security icon on their school-issued devices.
Two teachers and two students were killed last week during a school shooting in Georgia. The shooter was a 15-year-old student.
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