School rumors prompt planning

Technology appears to have spread word

MOSES LAKE — Educators and law enforcers are working to come up with a set policy for school incidents, in the wake of an escalating series of rumors that cleared Moses Lake High School late last month.

More than 1,000 absences were reported at the school during a three-day period from Oct. 27 through Halloween night as law enforcement agencies increased their presence at the school.

As many as 10 law enforcement officers from the Moses Lake Police Department, Grant County Sheriff's Office and Washington State Patrol were on campus for the three-day period, and school district administration and MLPD officers met Tuesday to review their response to the situation.

"I think they did really well," MLPD Chief Dean Mitchell said, "I think the school district did a very good job of providing information to the public as soon as they could."

The school sent out letters to parents after hearing of the rumors of a fight, and Mitchell said that everything the school knew was passed on to parents and the community. The letters advised parents of a larger law enforcement presence expected on school grounds over the next few days.

"I think there's a lot of merit to being up front and honest with parents," Mitchell said, "and I think we're obligated to be that way."

But despite action by both the school and police department, Mitchell said rumors spread quickly via text messages over cell phones between both students and parents.

From the time letters were sent home to parents on Wednesday, Oct. 26 through the following Monday when class sizes dwindled and patrol cars filled school parking spots, panic among students and parents over the news escalated.

"I don't know," MLSD Superintendent Steve Chestnut said when asked what intensified the situation.

School district policy does not allow cell phones to be used during classes, but still leaves breaks in between classes and before and after school for students to use the phones. Chestnut said he does not expect the district will make any changes to its cell phone policy following the incident.

That technology spread rumors throughout campus, and Mitchell added students who have yet to be identified also spread rumors about an incident. But while the rumors of this most recent incident were difficult to control, Mitchell said the MLPD has been unable to substantiate those rumors.

Chestnut made it a point to emphasize that considering the diversity of ethnic backgrounds and extracurricular activities at the high school, it is not fair to identify a group of people as being responsible.

One frequent rumor indicated the alleged fight was gang-related. There are gangs in the community, but, Chestnut said, there are not gang problems at the high school because there are procedures in places to discipline any student that violates district policy.

"To characterize this as a gang problem, I don't think that's accurate," Chestnut said.

The school district has a procedure outlining consequences for students which calls for a combination of short- and long-term suspensions, police contacts and expulsion depending on the offense. Chestnut said that policy outlines disciplinary consequences for students at each grade level, and is reviewed by the school district annually.

Officers gave the school district recommendations to continue working on should a similar situation occur in the future, including the writing of a school district-wide rumor control communication plan. The school will continue working on procedures for communications to staff on the procedures for responding to rumors and school violence. Maintaining a strong relationship between the police department and the school district has also been mentioned.

In the coming weeks and months, Mitchell will be meeting with other school officials in western Washington and with a representative from the U.S. Secret Service who have had experience with rumors similar to the ones at MLHS to aid them in a plan.

"What we have to decide is to create and establish policy to have in case something like this was to happen again," Mitchell said.

The incident was the first one to spread these kind of concerns in the nine years since the 1996 school shooting at Frontier Middle School when a student there killed two students and a teacher, prompting school and law enforcement officials to establish policies to protect students. Chestnut said safety remains on everyone's mind. Mitchell agreed.

Mitchell added that the relationship between the school and police department has been a positive one, and touted precautions the school district has made such as increased security and surveillance cameras that have increased student safety at the school.

"That's paramount on what goes on now, is the security of their students," Mitchell said.