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In response to recent social media threats that disrupted school operations, Mountain Home Public Schools will host an expert speaker to address the risks of social media for children.
Superintendent Allyson Dewey announced the event in a statement to families, saying, “I told you last month that we had additional plans coming for ways to address school safety, student social media use, etc. One of these plans is an upcoming expert speaker who will share with local parents and guardians about the risks of social media for children.”
This presentation will take place on Monday, November 11 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Dunbar Auditorium.
The announcement comes after the district increased security across its campuses in early September due to social media threats that were later determined to be part of a broader nationwide issue.
“Due to the nature of some of the content, children will not be allowed in the presentation,” Dewey said. She added that the local Parent Teacher Organization (MHPTO) will provide free childcare during the event for families who need it.
The superintendent emphasized the presentation’s relevance for all parents, regardless of their children’s ages. “This presentation is tiered as far as ages go, so parents with children of any age will find it beneficial,” she stated.
The event is part of a broader initiative to address school safety and student social media use following September’s school threat scare.
Dewey expressed gratitude to the MHPTO for securing the speaker and providing childcare support. The district encourages parents and guardians to attend the event as part of ongoing efforts to ensure student safety and responsible social media use.
September’s threats saw a quick and strong reaction from district officials and the Mountain Home Police Department, who quickly implemented additional safety measures across the district’s campuses.
Those measures included:
- Open-air searches conducted by K9 units
- Increased monitoring by staff members serving on building crisis teams
- Additional law enforcement presence, both uniformed and in plain clothes, on and around school buildings
Mountain Home Police Chief Eddie Griffin also notified the public that the FBI was involved in a nationwide investigation into similar threats made to school districts across the country, potentially through the use of AI.
While several students were interviewed by MHPD, Griffin and his officers ultimately determined that the threats were not made locally.
Multiple school districts across the nation saw a slew of violent threats in the weeks after Apalachee High School student Colt Gray killed four people and wounded several others in a school shooting on Sept. 4.
Gray is currently being charged as an adult with four counts of murder, with additional charges to be filed in connection with those he wounded. Gray’s father, Colin Gray, has also been charged by District Attorney Brad Smith for giving Gray access to his guns despite knowing that his son was a danger to himself and others.
A handful of students, including some in places like New Jersey, Kansas and California, were arrested for making threats against their school districts.
