PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A 2-year-old comment by a Presque Isle High School Student that sparked recent discussion on social media over possible threats led to an investigation that found no current threat of violence, according to police and school district officials.
Parents of Presque Isle High School students received a voice message from principal Ben Greenlaw Tuesday morning explaining that police and school officials investigated on Monday the possibility of a student threatening school violence, but concluded that there was no threat.
“Last night a widely shared social media post was brought to our attention referencing a concern of a potential threat to students and staff at Presque Isle High School,” Greenlaw said in the message.
“Presque Isle High School administration has investigated the information contained in the post and has determined that there was not a threat made regarding an act of violence at our school.”
PIHS students on social media were discussing a comment regarding school violence made in a class two years ago by a current high school student, according to MSAD 1 superintendent Brian Carpenter.
Carpenter said that the 2-year-old comment resurfaced when some students discussed it on social media and that led to misunderstandings among other students that there potentially was a current threat being made.
Carpenter said school officials and police investigated the incident and met with the student who made the comment two years ago. Presque Isle Police Chief Matt Irwin said that there is no criminal complaint and no law enforcement action being taken with the student.
Schools around the state and country have been highly attuned to campus safety and possible threats of violence in the wake of the fatal shooting of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida last month.
Over the last month in Maine, multiple schools have received potential threats of violence, including Bucksport High School and Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham, and multiple students have been charged with terrorizing-related offenses.
Carpenter said that MSAD 1 and other school districts are also highly aware of community concerns about school safety. He noted that MSAD 1 schools are proactive about monitoring school grounds.
“SAD 1 is doing everything within policy and regulations that we can do to keep people safe,” Carpenter said. “Nobody should be afraid to send their students to school.”
