On the night of Nov. 21, a threat was posted on social media: a photo of a gun and a caption warning students not to come to school. Although officials could not be certain that the threat was directed at Quince Orchard High School, principal Beth Thomas sent out a letter informing parents of the threat.
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) investigated and concluded that the threat was not credible. Even so, there was increased security and police presence at Quince Orchard High School the following day. Student attendance was much lower than usual, most likely due to parents’ anxiety regarding the safety of their children. Both students and parents feared the thought of a school shooter at QO.
“When I went to start my car [on Friday morning], my uncle told me, ‘Don’t go to school, because someone [posted a] threat online,’” QO senior Akter Hossain said.
Hossain, like many other students, chose not to attend school that day. On the other hand, some parents left the decision up to their children. Mia Resnicow, a junior at QO, attended school despite the widespread concern.
“I felt like if I didn’t go that day, then it would be like giving in to that fear,” Resnicow said. “I knew I was safe at school.”
After the principal addressed the situation over the announcements in first period, students still had questions and inevitably, anxiety.
“I was very alert,” Resnicow said. “I kept my eye on the door.”
Some students were nonchalant, knowing that the threat was most likely a hoax, while others were extremely fearful. That morning, the wide-eyed students were quieter than usual, as the threat was the sole concern on everyone’s minds.
As the news of the threat was shocking and overwhelming, teachers took the time to give students the option to speak with a counselor if they felt anxious.
“You don’t even have to be here if you feel unsafe,” an anonymous teacher said to begin the class.
He assured us that police and investigators had been up all night tracking down the perpetrator, and that the situation was fully under control. Throughout the day, one question still remained: Who was responsible for all of this?
Allegedly, a student on the QO football team posted the threat jokingly, meaning no harm. While the social media post may have been just a joke, it was taken extremely seriously among both QO students, parents, and staff and the MCPD, reflective of the culture around guns in today’s society.
Article by Zoe Bell of Quince Orchard High School
Graphic by Sophie Zheng of Cabin John Middle School