Originally posted on our Instagram
Due to a threat posted on Instagram late last night, students at Rialto High School did not attend school today or are leaving early from school once they hear news of the threat.
The post read, “If you see this, don’t go to school on the 23rd or 24th im fed up with the school Im already broken inside so why not take a few students to hell with me, so just dont go, sorry if you dont get to see this.”
RHS principal Dr. Caroline Sweeney called parents this morning at 7:50 a.m. to assure them that the threat was under investigation and was, as far as law enforcement could see, unsubstantiated. However, many students still did not show up for class and administration has additional security and law enforcement on the premises.
Aracely Mejia, mother of junior Vivian Mejia said, “I am scared of what will happen,” while Vivian Mejia said she left school after initially showing up, “Just to be on the safe side and to avoid all of the chaos of a possible lockdown.”
Junior Brandon Castillo was picked up during second period because “classes are empty” and the “lack of work.” With some classes missing more than half of the students, teachers are forgoing their planned lessons.
Junior Sean Minchez was scared by the “massive threat.” Originally Michez was not going to attend school, however, a friend convinced him to show up, but once he was on campus he saw empty classes and determined he was better off staying home and his mother agreed to pick him up just to be on the safe side.
Junior Lillianna Vergara left school early because she says, “My mom is a little nervous and just wants to be safe.”
The attendance office is overwhelmed with parents trying to remove their children from school and has an overflow of parents waiting in the front office and the attendance office.
Junior Alyssa Vigil wants to go home, but her parents are at work and cannot pick her up. Her teachers in her first two classes did not assign any work. Junior Raiaan Hossain says he attended school today because “I don’t think the threat is true.”
Later in the day, journalist Isaac Escamilla found the original KGNS.tv news post that stated the threat was at United South High School in Texas.
This threat should've been taken seriously even if it wasn't at this school and its amazing how if this was real how quickly this message was able to go around just through social media and shows how it can be useful
I took this very seriously because it could your life on the line. So I didn't come to school. Also it was some very necessary vacation as well.
I believe that parents wanting to take their kids out of school due to a threat is a good thing, it is reflective that they are protective over their kids and would rather them miss out on education to make sure that they are safe.
I am personally glad the way the school handled this situation.
During the two days of the threat I did not go to one. My parents were worried about my safety and did not let me attend school. Even though in the call it was stated that the threat was not from this school, a lot of parents still did not send their kids to school.