As we work together with local law enforcement and families to ensure that safety and security are one of our top priorities in Marion County Schools, we are aware of social media posts that are circulating to and among our students. We take each threat seriously and have been informed by our partners in safety that these are issues being faced state-wide, nationally, and globally as a trend.
With that said, Marion County Schools takes each threat seriously, reports it to law enforcement, and works together with local, state, and federal agencies to investigate its source. To ensure the safety of our students and staff, our principals communicate through the school's message system when a threat is made to a school, the involvement of law enforcement, and the status to keep lines of communication open.
As is protocol, we are maintaining an increased law enforcement presence in our schools. We are in close communication with Marion County Homeland Security, the Sheriff's Department, and all of our law enforcement partners as we continue to monitor the situation together. Our schools will continue to follow the Safety Code Color Chart above as well in dealing with threats in partnership with law enforcement and conducting drills in our schools.
We ask for the assistance of families to continue to monitor the child's social media contacts, accounts, and posts as well. Report concerns to Marion County Schools so that we can work with our partners to report and investigate the source. As we all face issues nationally and internationally that weigh on our students' minds as they engage in social media, news reports, and conversations with peers, we offer this resource from our school psychologists as well in speaking with your child about violence: Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Educators.
Thank you,
Dr. Donna Heston, Superintendent