CALLAHAN - West Nassau High School remained in a heightened state of security Monday after a 17-year-old student allegedly threatened on a Web site to come to school Friday and shoot fellow students.
Three West Nassau students reported to high school personnel Thursday that another student's MySpace Web site included the threat.
School administrators contacted the Sheriff's Office and the student was arrested that night.
On Friday, school administrators put West Nassau on what Sheriff Tommy Seagraves characterized as a "semi-lockdown."
The front and other outside doors, usually left open, were locked and access to the school was limited to its main lobby door, where a deputy was posted.
Principal Ron Booker said those measures remained in effect Monday.
Superintendent of Schools John Ruis said Friday the security measures were appropriate.
"That certainly was done as a precaution," Ruis said. "After they contacted the appropriate law enforcement personnel, they did what they needed to do. In this day and time, you just have to take threats of that nature seriously."
Seagraves said the student was angered over a suspension and allegedly pledged on the Web site to take violent action when he returned to school.
Investigators confiscated a shotgun from the home he shared with his grandparents.
My Nassau Sun is withholding the student's name because of his age and because he was not arrested for a violent crime.
He appeared in juvenile court in Jacksonville on Friday morning and was ordered to home detention until today, when he is to appear in court again.
The student's guardian confirmed Monday that the student was at home in accordance with the order.
Sharyl Wood, Nassau County School District executive director of administrative services, said word spread quickly through the school and some parents reacted by keeping their kids at home.
Booker said he used a broadcast messaging system Friday afternoon to give all school parents a prerecorded phone message assuring them there had been an arrest, no one had come to school with a weapon and that appropriate security measures were being taken.
"That is just to give them the information and we hope to reassure them that what we've done has been largely proactive. The safety of the children is our primary concern," he said.
Wood said Monday that un der district rules, the typical maximum length for a school suspension is 10 days.
However, if a student is charged with a felony that could be judged to affect the welfare of the school, administrators can place the student in an alternative educational program outside the school until the legal system reaches a verdict.
If the student is found not guilty or if charges are dropped, he or she returns to school.
If he or she is found guilty, then other disciplinary avenues, including expulsion, could be taken, she said.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/022708/nen_250993529.shtml
Sooo if someone were to to send a certain type of bulletin on someone else account.... bad thoughts, very naughty, forget I said anything.
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