By Mary O’KEEFE

Rosemont Middle School has been dealing with a few rumors that Principal Scott Anderle has been working to clarify.

Last Thursday, there was a threat made against the school; however, after an investigation, it was found to be a conflict between three students. One student retaliated against two others by manipulating some photos then writing threatening comments direct at the school
on social media.

According to Anderle, the students were in a conversation on social media and there was a disagreement resulting in one student “doctoring” photos of the two others making it appear that one student was holding up her hand imitating a gun with fire coming out of the barrel. Then words were added to the photo of the other student who seemed to be threatening the school.

The two girls who were featured in the doctored photos were told by the other student he was going to manipulate the photos. But the girls did not report anything to their parents or to anyone in authority. So the photos were created and sent out through social media.

Another Rosemont student received the doctored photos and was concerned. That student shared the photos with a parent who, in turn, contacted the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. The deputies reported the incident to the school and began an investigation.

Anderle praised the student who reported the photos to parents.

Investigators went to the homes of all students involved and interviewed the students. Anderle said all students were disciplined. The boy was suspended from Rosemont for a longer period of time and it is up to the school district if the student will return to the school. The girls were also suspended but for a shorter amount of time. Though they were the target of the hoax, they were suspended because they did not report anything to authorities what the male student had planned. According to Anderle, it does not appear that there was any true threat to the school.

The incident happened during the same time period the district had approved funding for two security guards for Rosemont.

“I had asked for the guards at the beginning of the year,” Anderle said.

He said he requested the security guards primarily because of the after-school programs.

“I was worried about Spartan Square (the school amphitheater). We have so many after-school activities and parents are dropping kids off to walk to the gym or to the middle field,” he said.

After school there is no supervision in those areas and some of the students who are being dropped off are elementary school age kids. There hasn’t been an issue in the past, but Anderle thought it would be a good idea to have extra security on campus. The request was approved and the guards were brought in, coincidentally, at the same time last week’s threat was being investigated.

“They are not related,” he said.

Anderle and his staff continue to work to make the campus safe and have had recent meetings on how to improve safety on campus.

A safety town hall meeting is being sponsored by GUSD. For those in the Crescenta Valley area, it will be held on March 13 at 6 p.m. at the MacDonald Auditorium at CVHS, 4400 Ramsdell Ave. Law enforcement and district administrators will be featured speakers.

  Mary Okeefe