Middle school student suspended over threats
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident this week involving a Westside Middle School student who on her school bus allegedly wrote a letter threatening to harm 20 other girls at the school.
School officials determined the threats were not credible but suspended the student for the rest of the school year.
Now the sheriff’s office is investigating the incident to determine the seriousness of the threats and if criminal charges are warranted.
According to a school system spokesperson, the incident happened earlier this week while the girl was riding home from school on the bus.
“The primary instigator started asking "who-hates-who" and making a list of names,” said Lisa Leighton, Public Relations Coordinator for Barrow County Schools. “This is a classic case of "mean-spirited" middle-school girl activity.”
Another student found out about the letter and told the sheriff’s deputy who works as the school resource officer. That officer reported the incident to the principal, Dr. Eli Welch.
He investigated the situation and suspended the student who started it for 10 days as required by the Barrow County Schools Code of Conduct, Leighton said.
“There was no apparent reason to do more than what was necessary in light of all the evidence he had and what he knew about this particular young lady,” she added.
According to the sheriff’s office May 22 press release, “the student claimed to have no actual intent to fulfill any of the written threats.”
While school officials determined the student’s letter posed no real threat to students or teachers, that “does not mean that the student’s actions were appropriate, justified, or even legal,” the press release states.
The Sheriff’s office’s School Resource Unit and Criminal Investigations Division are working in cooperation with school officials.
Now the sheriff’s office is investigating the incident to determine the seriousness of the threats and if criminal charges are warranted.
According to a school system spokesperson, the incident happened earlier this week while the girl was riding home from school on the bus.
“The primary instigator started asking "who-hates-who" and making a list of names,” said Lisa Leighton, Public Relations Coordinator for Barrow County Schools. “This is a classic case of "mean-spirited" middle-school girl activity.”
Another student found out about the letter and told the sheriff’s deputy who works as the school resource officer. That officer reported the incident to the principal, Dr. Eli Welch.
He investigated the situation and suspended the student who started it for 10 days as required by the Barrow County Schools Code of Conduct, Leighton said.
“There was no apparent reason to do more than what was necessary in light of all the evidence he had and what he knew about this particular young lady,” she added.
According to the sheriff’s office May 22 press release, “the student claimed to have no actual intent to fulfill any of the written threats.”
While school officials determined the student’s letter posed no real threat to students or teachers, that “does not mean that the student’s actions were appropriate, justified, or even legal,” the press release states.
The Sheriff’s office’s School Resource Unit and Criminal Investigations Division are working in cooperation with school officials.
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#1
ambie
on
05/23/09 at 12:25 AM
[Reply]
they should have made it more serious. than her getting a vacation out school last i remember that was teriostic threats to even say u are going to do something. no threats should be taking very lightly after all they have had school shootings around the world in the past from some one threating to do something
#2
velvet
on
06/11/09 at 11:11 AM
[Reply]
she got a early vacation thats not right because there was 2 more teens at the same school on the 3 of june that brought razor blades to the school and they had charges brought against them.its not right one is no better than the others ,parents we need to bring this to there attention.lets stop these teens before they really do something that they dont mean to do
