Social Media Hoax

Dear Matheson Jr. High Parents and Families,

We want to reiterate the messaging we sent out last week regarding the hoax threats that have been shared on social media. Please read the following:

The district has been made aware of rumors circulating on social media about a possible threat to our schools. This post is believed to be non credible by law enforcement. The same post is being shared and reposted across the entire state and does not appear to be directed at any specific school within our district. Regardless, we take every potential threat very seriously and continue to investigate with the assistance of law enforcement.

PARENTS – WE NEED YOUR HELP. As soon as you are able, please check your student’s smartphone device for any of the following social media platforms: Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok. Please discuss with your child any threats or postings that made them feel unsafe and help them understand that they should not share those posts, but instead report this type of content to a trusted adult. If your child has any specific information that can help us identify perpetrators of threatening content, please contact Granite Police at (801) 481-7122 at any time.

This situation is an unfortunate reminder that some of our students are unable to responsibly use social media. We have seen multiple instances throughout our state and even nationwide: fake threats being posted in similar fashion to what we’re seeing recently. These threats cause needless panic and concern for our students and their families. We respectfully request that if you are unable to monitor your child’s smartphone and social media use, that you restrict access to it. Schools and law enforcement do NOT have the ability to monitor tens of thousands of student’s social media accounts. This is the responsibility of the parent or guardian.

The best security system we have continues to be the eyes and ears of our students who contact trusted adults when they see unsafe behavior or situations. Please remind your students that we need their help to keep our campus and community a safe place. They can anonymously report unsafe behavior using the SafeUT app on a mobile device or web, or anonymously text us at (801) 664-2929. As mentioned previously, you can always contact our police department at (801) 481-7122 to report issues. As always, they can reach out to a teacher or administrator for help with any concerns.

Thanks for your patience and support as we work to keep our students and staff safe.

Sincerely,

Granite School District