Previous Messages
A Message from the Superintendent
September 13, 2024
Dear AACPS Students, Families, Employees, and Community:
In the wake of incidents of school violence, it is not uncommon for rumors of subsequent threats to make their way across campuses. As we grieve with communities in Georgia and Harford County in the wake of their tragic incidents, we have been confronted with such rumors.
Over the last several days, we and our partners at the Anne Arundel County Police Department have thoroughly investigated dozens of reports of threats against schools. Fortunately, none have been found to be credible. However, those investigations have involved an exhaustive amount of time, including police visits to homes, and drained precious resources, sometimes late at night or very early in the morning.
Make no mistake, we have – and will – investigate every single threat brought to our attention. However, we need your help.
Almost all of these incidents get their start on social media, with the viewing of a message or screenshot that implies violence at school. Many times, there is either no school named, a partial school name, or only school initials provided. Additionally, anyone can do an internet search of a school name paired with the word “threat” or “shooting” and come up with a result that is then interpreted to be local to a specific school.
It is certainly understandable how any student could see such a post and be afraid, particularly in the wake of tragedies like those that have occurred recently. Social media app discussions, posts, encouragements, and even challenges to recklessly take part in the spreading of rumors certainly don’t help.
First and foremost, I ask everyone connected to our schools – no matter what level – to take a closer look at the online activities of students with whom they are involved. Look at the apps that have been downloaded and the photos that are saved on a device. Ask questions about internet activity. Most importantly, talk to them about their concerns. Those inquiries can lead to the discovery of a real threat or quickly dispel a false rumor.
Further, our Police Department and our school system urge you not to forward posts that contain threats or take screenshots and send them to anyone except us. It is critical that the initial conveying of information be done through schools and/or police. If you see something, please say something.
We will thoroughly investigate each report, but the widespread dissemination of a false rumor only unnecessarily heightens the fear for students and families alike.
We and our partners in the Police Department are committed to doing everything we can to keep our schools as safe as possible. We routinely review and enhance protocols that are shared with our students, staff, and families. Those include School Resource Officers in high schools, the fact that visitors must show identification before being allowed to enter a school, the use of cameras in common areas of school buildings.
Please know that our school counselors are always available for students, especially if your child needs to share how they feel about any incident. Please also encourage your child to report any situation that makes them feel unsafe to a responsible adult immediately. Any safety concern can also be reported anonymously to the Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line at 833-MD-B-SAFE or send a text to 988. Those lines are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Yours in Education,
Mark T. Bedell, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools