GLOUCESTER, Va. — School administrators in Gloucester County are urging parents and students to refrain from spreading misinformation after investigating more than a dozen reports of social media threats Friday.
In a statement to families, Gloucester County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Vladu said school administrators had worked with the sheriff's office and found that all the social media posts were spam and not credible safety threats.
"The reports were non-specific, general in nature, and ultimately found to be unsubstantiated," Vladu said.
He said the division has to investigate every alleged threat, and "the spread of old, false rumors has not only fueled fear" but also "drained valuable resources."
The school division is asking parents to talk with their kids and remind them to report genuine safety threats, rather than spread gossip or misinformation via social media.
"This perpetuates anxiety and can disrupt our ability to maintain a safe and focused learning environment," Vladu said.
Meanwhile, school administrators and law enforcement across Hampton Roads are urging students and parents to be vigilant in seeing and reporting threats.
Other school divisions that have recently addressed a wave of threats include Hampton City Schools and Virginia Beach City Public Schools.