mobanmarketFORT MEADE, MD — Officials quickly secured Meade Middle School Thursday thanks to students who alerted administrators of a possibly threatening social media post.
School leaders placed the building on “Hold” status while police investigated and eventually debunked the threat.
“This morning, it was reported to me by students that there was a post on social media that could
potentially indicate a threat to our school community,” Principal Karla Steinbach said Thursday in a letter to families. “Upon investigation, this threat was deemed not credible. At no time was our school community in danger.”
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Steinbach thanked the students who reported the online threat. She said that see something, say something mentality is essential to maintaining safe schools.
“I appreciate that our students came directly to school administration to report this incident so that we were able to quickly engage partners and investigate,” Steinbach said. “Such communication is critical and helps us maintain a safe and supportive learning environment.”
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Anne Arundel County Public Schools said it contacted families twice during the incident and then sent families Steinbach’s letter.
The Anne Arundel County Police Department notified the public of the all-clear at 10:31 a.m.
“The student in question was not at school today,” the police department said in its statement. “Police are currently communicating with the family.
Steinbach reminded students that they can anonymously report safety concerns to the Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line at 833-MD-B-SAFE.
“Please urge your student to continue to report anything that makes them feel unsafe to you or to another responsible adult immediately,” Steinbach said. “[If] you become aware of an unsafe situation involving a school please alert our school immediately.”
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The threat came the same day that Fort George G. Meade held a prescheduled active shooter response drill that brought additional emergency vehicles to the area.
Fort Meade officials said there was no connection between the school threat and the active shooter drill.
The news also comes on the heels of Friday’s fatal shooting at Joppatowne High School. A 16-year-old is accused of shooting a 15-year-old during a fight in the Harford County school’s bathroom. The suspect was arrested, charged with murder and held without bond.
There’s no indication that the Meade Middle threat was related to the Joppatowne High shooting.
This map shows the location of Meade Middle.
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