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Date: 6/8/2022
SOUTH HADLEY – A threat made on social media targeting the Michael E. Smith Middle School (MESMS) in South Hadley brought national fears local for a brief moment on May 31.
After the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, the threat of harm within school buildings has been in the forefront for many communities. An increased police presence at the school was initiated following the reported threat.
Acting Superintendent Mark McLaughlin sent a letter to families following threat, which proved to be a false alarm, in an attempt to ease concerns.
“This morning at MESMS administration became aware of an unspecified threat to the middle school that was posted briefly on social media. This threat was brought to the attention of the district’s resource officer late last night. As soon as the unspecified threat became known to the administration this morning, the involved parties were immediately identified and retained in the main office for questioning by police and school administration,” McLaughlin wrote.
McLaughlin continued by saying after conferring with Police Chief Jennifer Gunderson, both parties coordinated both the school-based and police-based responses. He added that Gunderson promised an enhanced police presence at all four schools throughout the day as a sign of the seriousness in which situations like this will be dealt with in the town and district.
McLaughlin said the investigation is still ongoing and that the South Hadley Police Department is in the process of conferring with the District Attorney’s Office concerning the possibility of any applicable criminal charges in the matter.
“With regard to school-based consequences for the threat posted on social media, these are being handled according to established protocols at the building level,” McLaughlin wrote. “Despite the obvious interest in knowing more at this time, I am required to remind us all of the need to observe the privacy rights of all students, so we will not be providing additional information about any possible consequences meted out to students as a result of this threat.”
McLaughlin’s letter continued by saying that maintaining student and staff safety was the district’s first priority and that it was important to carefully evaluate the context of a threat to ensure that responses are consistent with the nature of the threat so as not to unnecessarily enhance anxiety among the school community during an already challenging time in the national culture as it relates to threats and actual violence within schools.
“Our schools were also safer today because of the efforts of some community members who, having observed the threat on social media, brought it to the attention of the proper authorities so that it could be evaluated and addressed quickly and efficiently,” McLaughlin wrote.
In closing, McLaughlin said it was also an important time to reflect on the power and potential dangers of the “incautious” use of social media. He said while the platforms can be a helpful and useful tool when used correctly, it can also become a very dangerous and destabilizing tool when used carelessly or with bad intent.
McLaughlin added the schools look to partner with families in educating the youth on the importance of not using social media in dangerous ways that promote harm on anyone or any institution or spread and promote inaccurate or incomplete information.
“Such behavior cannot and will not be tolerated in the South Hadley Public Schools,” McLaughlin wrote.
Reminder Publishing reached out to South Hadley Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen and School Resource Officer Joshua Helems but did not receive a response as of press time.