Multiple Oklahoma school districts to close on Thursday after threats, lockdowns
OKLAHOMA (KXII) - After a day of threats and lockdowns, multiple Oklahoma school districts will close on Thursday out of an abundance of caution.
Colbert Public Schools will not have school on Thursday, and Achille Public Schools will conduct classes virtually.
The cancellations come after schools across Southeastern Oklahoma went under lockdown on Wednesday when parents and students started to report threatening posts on social media.
The posts in question saw vague, threatening messages accompany a list of schools with names similar to those in cities across Texoma.
However, after law enforcement took a closer look, the threats were deemed not credible.
The list was tied back to a document from the Georgia Department of Education, and contains names of schools in Georgia that are eligible for Title 1 funding to help students from low income families.
But, that wasn’t the only threat Colbert schools faced on Wednesday.
Superintendent Taylor Matlock told News 12 that multiple students also reported receiving a threatening message on Snapchat, though that message was vague too.
It did not mention Colbert schools specifically, but the district notified law enforcement and the FBI just to be safe.
In a message sent to parents, Matlock said it was in the best interest of the students’ safety to cancel class on Thursday while “law enforcement agencies work to determine the authenticity and origin of the threat.”
Achille Superintendent Rick Beene said that while the threat does not directly affect Achille schools, the proximity of Colbert led to the decision to hold classes virtually.
In response to the threats, Hugo Public Schools and Durant ISD will increase the presence of law enforcement on campuses over the next few days.
Davis Public Schools Superintendent Jamea Gilbert said it’s always best to err on the side of caution, and issued this statement to News 12.
“This morning Davis Public School was notified of a potential threat made on a social media platform. In conjunction with law enforcement, Davis Public School began securing all campuses and informed staff members and parents of the threat. Law enforcement was present on campus for the entirety of the day. After further investigation, in conjunction with another district listed on the post, the threat was actually a list of schools from another state and had been circulating on social media for more than a week. Davis Public School will take every threat seriously to ensure the safety and well-being of students, staff, and the community. In today’s world, any potential danger, whether verbal, written, or online, must be treated as credible until proven otherwise. A proactive response helps prevent harm, maintains a secure learning environment, and upholds trust between the school, parents, and law enforcement. By addressing all threats with the utmost care, schools can mitigate risks, prevent tragic incidents, and ensure that students feel safe and focused on their education. Even if a threat turns out to be a false alarm, it is always better to err on the side of caution. Our school district appreciates the quick response from law enforcement and appreciates the response and support of parents and community members. We encourage all students and parents to continue to assist in the safety of our school by reporting anything of concern to maintain the security of Davis Public School.”
News 12 will continue to follow this developing story.
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