Social Media Threat Lead To Hundreds Of Absences

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A social media threat leaves many New Hope School parents and students on edge on Monday, fearing for their safety.

Classrooms at the school had about 75% fewer students today.

There have been a number of threats and alleged threats across the area and across the state.

New Hope is just the latest.

Principal Matt Smith says this is the lowest attendance he’s ever seen in his 25 years in education.

“You just never know now a days. You just really never know,” says New Hope High School parent, Charlotte Thomas.

The unknown and threats on social media, lead parents and students to make tough choices about how safe they feel in school.

“These halls here at New Hope High School, are usually packed with students exchanging classes, but today these halls are a lot quieter.”

Only 170 students out of 800 went to class.

For example, there are 25 students normally sitting in these desks.

Monday, there were only four.

“Probably 3/4 of our students stayed out today, but we still had school, so I understand the apprehension by parents and want them to know we follow every possible protocol we can to ensure their students safety,” says New Hope High School Principal Matt Smith.

Thomas is one of the parents who sent her son to school on Monday morning.

“We got a phone call last night, alerting us of the social media post and it was good information to have and I just felt comfortable sending him on to school.”

Bianca Taylor’s brother is one of the many high-schoolers who stayed home.

“Nobody wanted to take a chance of it and somebody seriously getting hurt. It’s hard to decide whether it’s just a threat, or if they’re actually just playing around. In today’s world, you can’t take that chance.”

Smith says at least two school buses did not pick up a single student on their route Monday morning.

“Parents are allowed four notes per semester, where they can write a note to excuse an absence for their child. If they haven’t used all four, they can use one of those. If they have, it will be an unexcused absence.”

Smith reminds parents that the school district works closely with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department every day to ensure students’ safety.