Director says November threat to Stewart County High School was handled immediately; FBI later took lead

The Stewart County school director told the board that a threat made via Snapchat in November 2023 was reported to 911 by a parent and handled promptly by school resource officers, the Stewart County Sheriff's Office and federal partners.

Reading a prepared statement to the board, the director said a student disclosed the message to a parent, the parent called 911 immediately, and the message and sender were identified on the student's phone. The director said the suspected student had not yet arrived at school when staff and law enforcement met the student and parent in the parking lot. The suspected student was searched by the principal and the case was referred to Homeland Security; the director said Homeland Security and the FBI later took primary responsibility.

"The threat was immediately eliminated that day from our high school and the suspected student never entered our doors again," the director told the board. The director also reminded the board that juvenile matters are confidential and cited the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as the reason the district cannot disclose particulars about the student involved.

The director thanked the parent who reported the message and the multiple law enforcement agencies involved. The director characterized the investigation as ongoing and in cooperation with the FBI; the board was told the matter remained an open FBI investigation.

Board members did not discuss disciplinary outcomes for the student during the public meeting; the director said most threat assessments conducted by the district this year were not deemed credible but did not provide a count at the meeting (the director said required report numbers will be provided at the next meeting).