ARLINGTON, Tenn. — An Instagram message over the weekend is all many parents knew about the rumor of a shooting at Arlington High School.
The district said it was working with the sheriff’s department and would notify parents and the community in the event of a viable concern.
Brad Duffield’s cousin is in the 11th grade at Arlington High.
“It really doesn’t matter is it is a serious as they think it is. If it affects their children they need to know about it immediately,” Duffield said.
Parents say the school system should have done more to get the word out after the written message ‘I’m shooting up the school, September 22nd’ was reportedly found scribbled on a school wall last week, even it was was just a rumor.
This is the first year for the Arlington School District and the system is working out those first-year glitches, but parents say, in light of real school shootings all around the country, a letter or a phone call from the school system about this rumor wasn’t a lot to ask.
“It’s our kids, it’s our lifeline. We should definitely be aware if something like that serious is going on,” parent Ashley Clark, who lives near Arlington, said.
We tried to get answers from the school district early Monday, but we were told the superintendent was referring all questions to the Chief of Staff, who still hadn’t responded about parent notification protocol.
When we went to the administration office on the high school property, sheriff’s deputies were everywhere and quickly told us to get off the premises and not to shoot any video.
Some parents said they were keeping their children home until they know what’s going on.
“I wouldn’t want my children going to a school where they wouldn’t get information to me as soon as possible,” Duffield said.
Parents say they still want to be in the loop anytime something like this happens.
Now, five days after the rumor started, they’re finally hearing from the school system responsible for protecting their kids.
