Columbia middle school principal asks for help in reducing rumor’s spread

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The leader of a Columbia middle school asked families and students in an email Wednesday to help control the spread of what staff believes is a non-credible social media threat.

Principal Josh Johnson wrote in the email to families that administrators were "alerted to a number of rumors going around regarding a Snapchat message that included the possibility of a threat to our campus."

Johnson said the police and Columbia Public Schools security are helping investigate the threat, which administrators do not believe is credible. However, Johnson said the district takes all threats seriously, "real or rumor."

Some students reported the apparent threat to administrators but others "continued to spread rumors and escalate the situation on social media." Johnson asked families to talk to students about not spreading such rumors and warn them of the consequences of doing so.

Several Mid-Missouri school districts have reported threats or rumored threats this school year.