Parents Question Response Procedures Following Threat Against Union Co. School
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Reports of a threatening social media post allegedly made by a student had parents of Cuthbertson Middle School in Union County, North Carolina, seeking clearer communication and response protocols from the school authorities.
The Threatening Social Media Post
A late-night email was sent to parents informing them of a reported social media post. This post included an image of a firearm lying in someone’s lap with rumors circling that its author was a Cuthbertson Middle School student. The Union County Sheriff’s Office, after an extensive investigation, determined that the supposed threat was not credible.
The Sheriff’s Office issued a statement confirming, “The post did not contain any direct or indirect threats of violence against any UCPS campus, student, or staff member in its associated text. The alleged threat has been classified as unsubstantiated, and there are no known threats to any UCPS campus, student, teacher at this time.”
Parents Concerns and Response
Many parents were left frustrated and worried as they did not receive most of this information before the school day began. With only the vague information provided in the school’s late-night email, some parents, including Robin Brown, decided to keep their children home.
Brown expressed her dissatisfaction with the school’s communication procedure, expressing the need for a dedicated liaison to answer parent’s concerns regarding threats to student safety. “Some type of source that deals strictly with the threats,” Brown proposed. “Someone who will be able to answer our questions, so that we can get an understanding as to whether or not, do I leave them home or do I take them to school?”
Response from Union County Public Schools
After listening to parent’s concerns, Union County Public Schools (UCPS) reaffirmed their commitment to student safety in their response. “UCPS takes all reports of threats seriously. Parents were notified last night, and the principal provided an update this morning.”
The district also encouraged parents and students to report suspicious activity by calling 911 or submitting information through their Say Something Anonymous Reporting System or the UCPS Tip Line. Additionally, extra deputies from the Union County Sheriff’s Office were posted on campus to alleviate parent’s concerns.
These incidents follow recent threats and safety incidents in schools around the greater Charlotte area, underscoring the need for clear communication protocols and immediate effective responses to safety threats in schools.
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