VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The superintendent of Virginia Beach City Public Schools addressed several threats made to the district's schools this week.
Within the last 24 hours, several districts' schools have received social media threats, which have been seen by students, parents, and staff.
"It's significantly disruptive to the education environment," Matt Delaney, Chief Schools Officer of VCPS, said.
Emails were sent out to parents from schools like Princess Anne Middle School describing how a student reported an inappropriate post on social media that implied a threat to city schools.
A similar email was also sent to families at Cox High School.
"It was a post that was seen throughout the region, throughout a variety parts of the country, that multiple school divisions are responding to," Delaney said.
The school division said the post does not mention any specific Virginia Beach School and as of right now the post is not believed to be created by a Virginia Beach student or have merit.
Below is the full email that was sent to parents from the superintendent:
VBCPS Families and Staff,
The purpose of this message is to address a rash of social media threats that have been circulating across the country for the past two weeks and have now reached VBCPS. In the last 24 hours, several of our schools have received general social media threats that have been viewed by students, parents, and staff. These messages are alarming and intended to create fear and disrupt the learning environment.
As your superintendent, I want to assure you that the safety of our students, staff, and school communities is our top priority. Our schools remain safe, and we continue to work diligently to create a welcoming and conducive environment for teaching and learning. I also ask for your help in responding appropriately if a threat — whether verbal, written, or on social media — is discovered. Together, we can set the standard of how our community stands united against such threats.
Here are some key points about our safety measures and the role you can play in maintaining a safe school environment:
Comprehensive Safety Measures:
VBCPS has robust safety protocols in place to protect students and staff. This includes the Office of Security and Emergency Management (OSEM), a dedicated team of professionals who work in close collaboration with the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD). Each secondary school has a school resource officer (SRO). We also have armed security officers who are former law enforcement professionals. Trained security assistants monitor all buildings, and each school is equipped with the Raptor visitor management system. All exterior doors remain locked, with security personnel stationed at main entrances. Surveillance cameras provide 24/7 monitoring of school grounds. Additionally, all staff members undergo crisis management training.
Threats Are Taken Seriously:
All threats — whether verbal, written, or circulated on social media — are thoroughly investigated by both VBCPS and VBPD. Those responsible will face serious consequences. Threats not only violate school policies but also local laws, and violators will be held accountable.
Impact of Threats on School Operations:
Threats, regardless of their credibility, cause substantial disruptions to school operations. They impede teaching and learning for both students and staff, creating unnecessary anxiety and fear. Instead of uniting us, these threats serve to divide our community at a time when we should be working together.
Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility:
Students: It is critical that students never forward a written or digital threat. Instead, they should immediately inform a school official or parent. Sharing such messages only contributes to the disruption and violates the Code of Student Conduct.
Parents: Please talk to your children about the importance of reporting concerns directly to you or a school official without spreading the information among peers. Additionally, we encourage you to monitor your child's social media activity and reinforce the importance of responsible online behavior.
Staff: Every member of our staff has a professional duty to report any potential threat immediately to the school administration, SRO, or security team to ensure a swift and appropriate response.
We are grateful for your support in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for all students. Let us work together to ensure our schools remain places where every student can thrive without fear.
Sincerely, Dr. Donald E. Robertson Jr.
Superintendent, VBCPS
Virginia Beach Police are still investigating the post's origin and say posting a threat on social media could lead to charges being filed.
Earlier this month a 14-year-old was charged for making a threat to Tabb High School in Yorktown.
"It's not a joke so for posting a threat on social media a person can face a felony charge for posting a threat in writing," Lt. Kevin Lokey, with the Virginia Beach Police Department, said.
