White County Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said a series of unfounded swatting calls disrupted the school day.
Dronebarger said the threats included a false report of an intruder inside a school building Wednesday morning followed by a second unfounded report of a suspicious person outside in the woods near a school. White County officials coordinated with local law enforcement to execute safety protocols and confirmed that no students or staff were in actual danger during the incidents.
“It’s extremely disappointing that we’re dealing with this at the end of a great school year,” Dronebarger said. “I think these are things that obviously cause real fear and harm in our public that is unnecessary. These were not founded in any truth. We take them all very seriously and we’re I’m really proud of our team and our local law enforcement way they responded, but it’s just an unfortunate situation in this world that we’re living in that people would even use this as a joke or any sort of threat towards children is really sickening and saddening.”
Dronebarger said the school system maintains specific safety protocols and meets regularly with other directors across the Upper Cumberland to share information on school security. Dronebarger said he spoke with the director of Putnam County Schools to discuss similar threats that occurred in that district earlier in the week.
Dronebarger said school officials and law enforcement were prepared for a quick response.
“It’s the time of year where we’re celebrating, you know, had parents coming in and we’re we have kindergarten and fifth grade graduations and awards days and you know all those just great memories at the end of the school year just being interrupted by some sick individuals,” Dronebarger said. “And it’s it’s just really sad and unfortunate. But our parents, our school community did great. They responded well to the communications that we sent out. They knew that we had things under control and we were working through our plan accordingly.”
Dronebarger said School Resource Officers from the White County Sheriff’s Department responded immediately alongside the Sparta Police Department and the EMA Director. Dronebarger said the district deployed counseling teams to check on every student and provide teachers with guidance on how to discuss the events with their classes.
Dronebarger also said he can relate to feelings of frustration and anxiety from parents within the school district as some publicly consider homeschooling in response to the recent string of swatting calls.
“I have a child in our district as well and so I understand that,” Dronebarger said. “I understand why people would have those thoughts. You know, they just don’t want to have to deal with with that kind of nonsense but I also think that that we’re cowering to fear and I think that you know, I think we’re just playing into the hands of more of that type of behavior. And so I think at some point as a society we’ve got to, you know, stand tall and stand strong and in the face of those fears. I know it’s difficult, I’m a parent as well, but you know, I’m going to keep sending my child to school and keep doing everything I can to take care of her and take care of all the other students, White County schools, just like I do my own.”
Dronebarger said the school days continued with normal activities once the buildings were cleared and the threats were determined to be not credible. Dronebarger said the district is currently debriefing with faculty and staff to review the response to the calls.
“This is an example of what people are doing to come together to try and keep kids safe each and every day in our school system,” Dronebarger said.