Rumours and hearsay can quickly spiral out of control, especially in the age of social media.
That’s what happened at Kwalikum Secondary School last week, said School District 69’s assistant superintendent Gillian Wilson.
A message was sent to parents and guardians of KSS students from principal Lori Marshall, addressing the concern that was raised by a rumour which she, nor Wilson elaborate on.
“We have been working at the school level, and with district staff and have come to the conclusion that the current rumours are unfounded and have taken a life of their own,” said Marshall in the message, after noting that the school district takes any indication of a potential threat seriously.
Marshall then asked that: “If your child has heard the rumour, please talk to them about hearsay and rumour versus factual information.”
Asked about the situation at the school, Wilson said: “It was a situation that got things totally out of context… and just to protect individuals, I can’t really say much more.”
She noted that, after performing due diligence, the rumour is unfounded.
“The school handled things really well,” she said.