Orrville schools deal with social media threats

Orrville schools have been dealing with various social media threats to students and school safety over the past week.

The scare began when threats against the school started appearing on social media. The primary platform was Snapchat, an app favored by teenagers where posts “disappear” after they are read. However, some of the posts were screenshotted and shared by other users on platforms like Facebook.

The posts contained enough specific details to make it seem like the threat was directed at Orrville schools. However, similar posts were found in several other school districts throughout Ohio, as well as in states such as West Virginia, Oklahoma and Connecticut. On Thursday, Sept. 12, the repeated sharing of the threats on social media caused a revolving door of parents picking up students from school, disrupting the school day for both teachers and students who remained.

A 16-year-old Orrville High School student was arrested for inducing panic By Friday, Sept. 13, a day specifically mentioned in one of the threats, concerns about safety and absenteeism led the district to cancel classes for the day. Although school was canceled, sporting events and other activities continued as scheduled, including the home football game that evening. All events took place without incident.

On Monday, Sept. 16, nearly a week after the threats first surfaced, a new social media post threatening additional harm to the schools was shared across various platforms including by parents on Facebook. Despite the school’s policy that students are not supposed to have phones during the day, many learned about the ongoing posts through parents sharing them on social media.

Orrville police are continuing their investigation, but no suspects have been publicly identified at this time. When asked for comment, Dr. David Toth, superintendent of Orrville City Schools, issued a lengthy statement to district families, staff and community members. The statement read in part:

“We want to remind everyone that we will not allow any behavior or situations that endanger the security or well-being of our students, faculty or community members. The legal authorities may treat using social media or any other method to threaten harm as inducing panic or harassment and may take appropriate action including filing legal charges. Such conduct is inconsistent with our basic principles and will be dealt with swiftly and forcefully in line with the law and our school’s rules.

“To maintain a secure and encouraging environment, we appreciate the cooperation and assistance of our entire community including parents, teachers, staff, students and local law enforcement. I can’t say enough about the support we receive from the Orrville Police Department. By working together, we can ensure that our schools remain safe spaces where students can grow, learn and realize their full potential.”

Anyone with concerns about the safety of Orrville schools (or any school) is encouraged to report threats or concerns anonymously using the Ohio State School safety tip line, which can be accessed at ohioschoolsafetycenter.ohio.gov/pre-k-12-schools/safer-ohio-school-tip-line, or by calling the Orrville Police Department at 330-684-5025.