Duneland School Corporation Dr. Chit Pettit released the following statement on school safety late Friday, Sept. 13:
“This week, there have been several safety concerns brought to the attention of Duneland School Corporation (DSC) building administrators and our School Resource Officers (SRO). When a safety concern is received, school administrators and SROs conduct an immediate investigation and work together to proactively address the concern. Information is shared with students and families when safety measures are implemented. At no time this week have any of the safety concerns been determined to be legitimate or a threat to any school or individual in our community. If a threat is ever made to promote fear in our school community, DSC and the Chesterton Police Department (CPD) will take every step available under the law to prosecute the individual.
“All of the concerns shared this week stem from alleged threats in other states, or from screenshots of threats found on the Internet from other schools outside of our geographical area. One in particular included a screenshot from a list of schools in Georgia that were ‘targeted’ for additional academic support from the state. One of the schools listed was Liberty Middle School located in Newton County, Ga. Based on the name, some students believed this was related to Liberty Middle School, in Duneland, without analyzing the post or what the term ‘targeted’ meant. This spread, via social media, and some believed that other schools in Duneland were also being ‘targeted’ since Liberty Middle School was allegedly a ‘target.’
“Similar concerns have been trending in schools at the local, state, and national level. Regardless, we know these situations can be frightening for everyone. We urge students to share their concerns with a trusted adult and/or tip line and not share unsubstantiated concerns with others via social media. Sharing unsubstantiated concerns on social media only amplifies fears within the school community and reduces the effectiveness of our security teams, as they do investigate every concern.
“DSC and CPD appreciate your support as it relates to keeping our campuses safe. It is essential that we continue to prioritize the safety of our schools and maintain a proactive stance when it comes to security. As always, students, staff or community members are asked to share information pertaining to safety with a school official, SRO, or the CPD.”