COLUMBIA, S.C. — A student at Pelion Middle School has been suspended following an alleged threat made to a teacher.
According to Lexington School District One:
On Thursday, October 17, a teacher noticed that several seventh- and eighth-grade students were engaged in a concerning group chat using their mobile telephones. The teacher who discovered the activity immediately alerted Pelion Middle School administrators, who conducted an immediate investigation.
During their investigation, administrators noted that one of the seventh-grade males in the chat had posted a direct threat toward a teacher. In addition to that threat, the student posted a picture of himself brandishing a steak knife. Administrators also found that the student had the same knife at school.
Acting in accordance with Board Policy and district procedure, PMS administrators immediately notified the Lexington County Sheriff's Department through the School Resource Officer, filed an incident report, contacted the student's parent/guardian, and suspended the student.
This threat is one of nearly ten reported threats in schools around the Midlands since the beginning of the school year.
There have also been threats made to students or schools as a whole to to Swansea High School. Sumter High School, Pelion Middle School, Pine Ridge Middle School, Carolina Springs Middle School, Westwood High School, White Knoll High School, and Cardinal Newman.
According to state law, Section 16-17-425, it is unlawful for a student of a school or college in this State to make threats to take the life of or to inflict bodily harm upon another by using any form of communication whatsoever.
When it comes to this most recent threat at Pelion Middle School, Lexington One School District issued information to students and parents asking them to report any safety concerns to a school administrator, school resource officer, school counselor, teacher or other employee and also added this Tip Line, (803) 636-8317, where people can report safety concerns anonymously.