Online Threats Between Students Bring Deputies to the Office

A tense exchange between two students spilled out of a social media chat and into a school office, prompting administrators to call in a deputy to help sort out the situation. According to a report from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy working a detail with the South Point Local School District was called to the office of an assistant principal after staff learned about threatening messages exchanged between two students who had previously had conflicts with one another. School officials said a female student reported that another student had threatened her through messages sent on TikTok. She was able to show screenshots of the conversation to administrators. The messages allegedly included statements in which the other student said he wanted to kill her and threatened to rip out her throat. With permission from the girl’s parents, school administrators asked her to write a witness statement describing what happened. A short time later, the other student arrived at the school with his grandmother. The deputy and administrators met with them in a conference room. With his guardian present, the student admitted he had spoken to the girl that way but claimed she had been antagonizing him. He also said he no longer had the messages because he had deleted the chat conversation. With permission from his guardian, the student wrote a statement explaining his side of the situation. The screenshots of the messages were collected by the deputy and included with the report. School officials also noted the two students had previously been involved in a physical altercation, something administrators wanted documented in case the matter is reviewed further by the courts. When Online Arguments Cross the Line Incidents like this highlight a challenge many schools now face as student conflicts move from hallways to social media platforms. Parents and educators say there are several important steps students should take when conflicts arise online: Save evidence.Screenshots can help adults understand what happened. • Tell a trusted adult immediately if threats are made. • Avoid responding in anger, which can quickly escalate a situation. • Block or mute the person if harassment continues. School officials say reporting issues early gives them the chance to step in before arguments escalate into fights or more serious problems.

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