Parker, Stringer defuse rumors of violence at Bob Jones High School
MADISON — Recent rumors of violence at Bob Jones High School were just that—rumors—according to Madison City Schools Superintendent Robby Parker and Capt. John Stringer of Madison Police Department’s Investigations Division.
Parker and Stringer addressed these concerns at a news conference Feb. 6 at the schools’ central office, something Parker said is not typical for them in addressing rumors.
According to Parker, these rumors of violence began to circulate a couple weeks ago concerning a potential act of violence this Friday, Feb. 8. Parker said they have received several alerts to the rumors through “Text to Protect,” which allows students and parents to anonymously report anything suspicious or that may be a cause for concern.
Parker said that gun violence was never part of this, and there is no threat to the school.
Parker also noted that even though it was a rumor, there will be more of a presence of school resource officers in all schools to ensure that students remain safe.
“I want to address the community and let everybody know that there has been no threat towards Bob Jones High School,” Parker said. “Our administration at Bob Jones High School, our central office administration, as well as the Madison Police Department have dug all the way down to the source, and no one has threatened to come and shoot anybody at Bob Jones High School or hurt anybody at Bob Jones High School. … We are confident that we’ve got to the root of the rumor, and I want our parents to feel comfortable that there is no threat to Bob Jones High School.”
The rumor, Parker said, began with a student who overheard an argument between two other students and reported what they thought they heard. Stringer compared what happened with the rumor to a game of telephone, and he said that as it spread, it appears that it might have been “sensationalized.”
Stringer also warned that anyone who comes onto Madison City Schools property with the intent to commit a crime will be arrested and prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This is not kid stuff,” he said. “Our students are there to learn, they’re there to get an education, and our job is to make sure that we partner with the school system in order to provide a safe and secure learning environment for our students. … We must take all of our threats seriously.”
Stringer added that the rumor is not connected to the recent Buttercup Lane shooting—which involved a Bob Jones student being shot—and it does not appear to be connected to the cancellation of this week’s basketball game. Parker added that everyone’s senses may be heightened to potential threats because of recent events like the Buttercup Lane shooting. Stringer said that investigation is still ongoing.
Both Parker and Stringer spoke of their confidence that the Text to Protect line and social media have been beneficial to them in learning of potential threats that they may not have otherwise known about.
“We’re here because somebody submitted an anonymous or confidential tip on a Text to Protect line,” Stringer said. “Whether that tip turns out to be validated or not, this shows that we pay attention to it, that we take any threat seriously, and that tip line works.”
Stringer explained that each tip is sent to the appropriate officers, divisions and units for followup. He expressed the importance of students’ voices and continuing to build trust and communication with them. If nothing else, he said they get to ease students’ fears and give parents greater peace of mind.
Parker said students will never be disciplined for bringing potential threats to the attention of officials, and he is thankful that students do feel comfortable enough to come forward with that information. As far as rumors like this go, Parker said the school system will continue to take all situations like this seriously.
“I want everybody to know that as the superintendent of education, I’m not putting up with it,” Parker asserted. “If somebody does threaten one of our schools, I can assure you they will be removed immediately. If it’s an outside threat, I am more than confident that our Madison Police Department will find somebody. School safety is the number-one issue that we deal with, and we stop everything we’re doing if we feel like there’s an issue. … I want everybody in this community, I want all parents to understand that we are on it. We are on this.”
