School Threats in South Carolina: A Growing Concern
In the span of a single week, an unfortunate wave of school threats has washed over South Carolina, triggering investigations and charges against students in multiple counties. The counties affected include Newberry, Anderson, Spartanburg, Greenville, Pickens, Laurens, Oconee, and Abbeville. The cascade of events emerged in the aftermath of a school shooting in neighboring Apalachee High School, Winder, Georgia.
Newberry County
Early on Wednesday, a chilling social media post surfaced, alerting communities to a potential school shooting designated for either Thursday, Friday, or next Wednesday. Multiple schools, such as 96 High School, Newberry High School, and Newberry Middle School, were indeed specified. Following an investigation, Newberry County Sheriff’s deputies charged a minor with the act. This student declared her intention was to caution others of the danger she had heard about elsewhere. Interestingly, only a day before, Newberry High School had discovered a bullet casually abandoned in a hallway. A boy unintentionally dropped the bullet from his backpack during a playful interaction with a peer.
Anderson County
The situation in Anderson County released a sigh of relief when a circulating threat against T.L. Hanna was deemed baseless by local law enforcement. Nevertheless, precautions were maintained with heightened law enforcement presence on campus Monday.
Spartanburg County
Spartanburg County District 5 has been contending with rumors of threats. However, nothing substantial has been confirmed. Deputies remain dedicated to examining these claims and working with school districts to tackle them.
Greenville County
A series of incidents unfolded in Greenville County. Greer High School found itself in the spotlight after a baseless social media post hinting at a potential danger was investigated and cleared. The origin of this threat traced back to an ill-advised statement made by a student at Greer Middle School. This 13-year-old was subsequently charged with making threats—a dire consequence for a verbal threat of a shooting. Following this, the student was removed from the school. As a preventative measure, the EVOLV weapons detection system was brought in and thankfully did not find anything of concern.
In addition, there was a bout of alarm caused by a potential threat towards Hillcrest Middle School; this was later declared as not credible following an investigation. Notwithstanding, additional officers were brought in as a caution.
Pickens & Laurens County
Pickens and Laurens county also had their share of panic. Thankfully, the social media posts that led to the investigations in both counties were found to be misleading or unrelated to local schools.
Oconee County
Oconee County was not spared from these tribulations. Walhalla High School was put through the mill when a rumor about a threat arrived on Monday. The investigation concluded there were no grounds for concern.
Abbeville County
Abbeville County joined the list when a vaguely threatening social media post was found and notified to the Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Yet, this resulted in another sigh of relief as it was also determined to be not credible.
In the face of these unsettling events, it is imperative not only for communities to foster an environment of open discussion about safety but also to encourage young individuals to forward any information they may have to school staff or local law enforcement. As these reports display, it’s critical to remember that the spread of this type of communication may cause unnecessary distress and anxiety.
As communities throughout South Carolina grapple with these threats and rumors, it’s vital that we all unite and prioritize the safety of our students and educators. It’s equally important that we work together to discourage the use of threats as a form of prank or rebellious expression among students. Let’s work together to make sure our schools remain safe spaces for everyone.
