CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The superintendent of Clayton County Public Schools is asking for calm and the help of parents in combating social media threats the district believes are being made to disrupt learning.
The district said Thursday, after it reported threats to multiple schools in Clayton County, that it was not taking the situation lightly. They heightened security and utilized lockdowns in some instances.
They said the threats "threaten the safety of our campuses and disrupt the instructional day," and were a "continuation of similar social media postings that have impacted neighboring school districts."
Now Superintendent Dr. Morcease Beasley is asking for parents to help restore order.
"Parents, let’s not continue to allow social media threats to disrupt our schools. We are taking every measure to protect schools while we work with law enforcement to identify the persons doing the threats. I’m asking all to please stay calm/allow us to be official source," he tweeted Friday morning.
He also said parents "could really help schools by monitoring student use of social media monitoring your children and friends, teaching and modeling conflict resolution skills, and attending/supervising students at athletic/other school events."
"We need a quick response/action to these," Dr. Beasley said.
The disruption to the Clayton County school district this week came following a rumor of an active shooter that had to be dispelled just the week before at Kendrick Middle School. On Thursday, a similar rumor which had to be dispelled centered on Lovejoy High School.
CCPS said the school district police department has been investigating the various threats, and that, "Our students are our first priority and we are dedicated to ensuring they receive the education needed to compete as global and socially aware citizens."