Johnston County Public Schools released a statement Wednesday afternoon after separate social media threats were made against four schools.
Administrators at Smithfield-Selma High, Corinth Holders High, Princeton Middle/High, and South Johnston High schools were made aware of separate threats made on social media Wednesday afternoon. Each school’s administration acted promptly, investigated immediately, and involved law enforcement.
The students and staff at these campuses did enter an exterior lockdown while our local law enforcement investigated these situations thoroughly. Students and staff at Smithfield Middle were placed on a brief perimeter lockdown due to the SMS’s proximity to Smithfield-Selma High. Our students and staff at all locations were safe at all times.
We are fortunate to have a very close working relationship with local law enforcement. The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office investigated each of these threats separately, and each one was considered non-credible.
Johnston County Public Schools will work with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office to investigate these threats, and will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.
Student and staff safety is our district’s top priority. Families at each of these locations are being made aware of the situation and being reassured of student safety.
Johnston County Public Schools takes these matters very seriously and we investigate every report and rumor thoroughly. We stress that parents and guardians speak with their students about the consequences of making these types of statements whether they are speaking with other students or making comments on social media.
