An apparent threat against multiple Frisco Independent School District campuses has circulated online, prompting district leaders to notify parents and excuse student absences on Monday.
Reports of the alleged threat broke one day after a gunman killed eight people at an outlet mall in Allen on Saturday afternoon, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
In an email to district parents obtained by The Dallas Express, Frisco ISD Superintendent Mike Waldrip informed parents that the person who allegedly made the threat had been arrested:
“The Frisco Police Department has determined the threat to be non-credible, and the individual who posted the social media content has been arrested. I want to take a moment to express my sincerest thanks to the Frisco Police Department for their swift and thorough response to this investigation.”
Waldrip further noted, “As I communicated yesterday, there are serious consequences for threatening a campus or member of a student body, and we support the Frisco Police Department’s full prosecution of any individual that threatens harm to our students, staff, and campuses.”
The superintendent had informed parents of the threat Sunday evening.
“After this past weekend’s events at the Allen Outlet Mall, and an incident at Stonebriar Mall, we understand that safety concerns are high in our community, especially when it comes to our students. Student absences will be excused tomorrow across the District,” Waldrip wrote to parents.
Waldrip added that the threat was directed at some of the district’s middle and high schools and that the district stressed to parents the need to discuss the seriousness of making threats online.
“We are asking you to please speak with your students about how what they say, written or verbal, even as a joke, is taken seriously by Frisco ISD and the police department; students will be disciplined and charged by the law accordingly,” Waldrip wrote.
Posts on social media appear to suggest many district parents opted not to send their children to school Monday.
“So Frisco isd [sic] is excusing all absences today due to the threat received this past weekend on FISD schools. In my sons [sic] class of 20+ students only 7 showed up today,” posted Arian Devon Mayes.
Another district parent, Kelsey Grummert, posted:
“I received an email yesterday evening from Frisco ISD in regard to a threat that had been made. I, then, received an email this morning from my 1st grader’s teacher. She mentioned that many students were not at school today (which explains why the carpool lines were so minimal) due to the events that took place this past weekend regarding the Allen shooting, as well as the potential threat.”
One parent, however, expressed frustration that school was not canceled Monday.
“If threats have been made involving campuses in the district (plural, as stated in the email), and they’re willing to excuse absences district wide, why would they not cancel school for the day in an abundance of caution?!” wrote Kellie Benson.