April 02--BECKLEY -- As technology continues to play a more central role in the lives of students, administrators have to deal with relatively new issues, like cyber-bullying and sexting. Last week, however, the use of cell phones to make calls and send text messages created quite a furor.
So much so that Jeff McClung, director of Raleigh County Schools' Pupil Services, said the event at Woodrow Wilson High School will be "a lesson to us all."
A rumor of a gunman at the school spread like wildfire Friday after students used their cell phones to send texts and place calls, exaggerating what was already only a rumor.
McClung explained that just after 9 a.m., the school received a rumor that two groups of students who had conflicts earlier in the week might bring guns into the lunchroom.
The initial report, from the Safe Schools Hotline, Charleston, was phoned in by a teacher who reported the rumor.
"At the time we did not have enough information to go into a lockdown. From the get-go, it was a rumor, not a threat. We had no names and no leads of any kind," he explained.
Deciding to err on the side of caution, representatives from the central office met with Woodrow Wilson administrators and chose to boost security in the school and gather extra help from law enforcement.
"We were hawk-eyeing the school. Miller Hall (director of Secondary Education) and I were both there, and there was law enforcement watching for anything suspicious," he said.
The day went smoothly until third lunch when the extra watchful presence of law enforcement led to gossiping. No officials ever said someone had a gun nor was there a gun on campus, he said.
"It got out of hand when students told rumors or exaggerated gossip and scared their parents. And it was not accurate information," he explained. "We heightened supervision, but did not want to release information of the rumor to the students because we did not want to do anything that would panic the students."
As third lunch progressed, the rumors became more and more outlandish, he said.
At first students told parents a gunman had been seen outside the school.
The rumors even spread to other schools when a Beckley-Stratton Middle School student texted home that the gunman had left Woodrow Wilson High School and was heading to the middle school.
Although Raleigh County Schools has a cell phone policy, it allows high school students to use their phones between classes and during lunchtime at the discretion of the school's administration.
A cell may be stored in a student's locker, book bag or purse as long as it is turned off.
According to the policy, its aim is to "insure uninterrupted instruction, safety, decreased bullying and reduction of theft."
McClung explained that students' use of their cell phones was not a problem; however, the way they used them was.
"If my son or daughter told me a crazy rumor and got me to come out to the school to pick them up, I would make sure that I told them, 'Don't you ever tell me there is a gun in the building and incite panic in people unless you see one,'" he said.
"It was a good experience for us. The students have learned not to get on their cells and gossip, and I'm sure the Woodrow Wilson administration will be thinking about monitoring cell use during time of heightened supervision. It was a lesson for us all," he explained.
McClung pointed out that any time parents flock to the school in a panic, it could be a safety issue.
The school was not on lockdown Friday because the initial report was unsubstantiated.
"If Friday had turned into an emergency and we needed to have emergency vehicles get through, it would have been too congested with parents. That is why when we go on lockdown, parents are directed to a nearby parking lot to check in, so we can get emergency vehicles or a helicopter to the school," he explained.
Although parents were extremely concerned after being contacted by their children, McClung said he was proud that all parents remained calm.
"They were upset, but they did a really good job of staying level-headed and calm," he said.
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Copyright 2012 - The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.
