Social media post prompts morning police presence at Maries R-1 School

Posted 12/5/18

VIENNA — When students of Maries R-1 School in Vienna arrived at the school on Monday morning, they were greeted by numerous police officers from the Vienna Police Department, the Maries County …

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Social media post prompts morning police presence at Maries R-1 School

Posted

VIENNA — When students of Maries R-1 School in Vienna arrived at the school on Monday morning, they were greeted by numerous police officers from the Vienna Police Department, the Maries County Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Maries R-1 Superintendent Mark Parker said the police presence was at the school for safety reasons following a social media post on Sunday. Parker said at no time were students or staff in danger. 

Parker said they have been dealing with a personnel issue and on Sunday he was alerted to the social media post which caused the school’s administrators to make a plan about how to handle Monday. “We wanted to respond in a way to ensure the safety of our students,” Parker said. There was never a direct threat to the school, students or staff, he said.  

The school contacted Vienna Police Chief Shannon Thompson and Thompson contacted the other law enforcement agencies. The officers were on campus at the doors from about 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Parker said they can’t overreact when dealing with student safety. “We take is very seriously,” he said.

A letter was sent home with students about the police presence at the school, which stated it was a “proactive, precautionary response to a posting on social media that could have been understood to be threatening in nature. It turned out to be nothing and students and staff were not in harm’s way.” 

Parker said parents with questions should feel free to contact him at school.