Skyline High School goes into lockdown after student posts threatening meme
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IDAHO FALLS – A local high school went into lockdown Thursday after a student posted a concerning and violent meme.
Several parents of students who attend Skyline High School reached out to EastIdahoNews.com asking about the circumstances after hearing about the lockdown.
According to an email sent out to parents, Skyline High School was put into lockdown shortly after 2 p.m. “as a precaution in response to a report of a potential threat.”
The email stated that a student used the new STOPit system, an anonymous app to report suspicious activity at schools, to alert administrators that another student had “posted a meme on social media that appeared to be a potential threat of violence.”
School administrators, Skyline’s school resource officer, and the Idaho Falls Police Department began an investigation while the lockdown was underway and were eventually able to determine that there was no credible threat, according to the email.
Principal Josh Newell stated in the email that the student who posted the meme “may face disciplinary action because posting threats of violence or potential threats of violence is against both school district policy and Idaho law.”
Jessica Clements, the spokeswoman for IFPD, says they were able to identify the student, and proper actions are being taken to address the situation.
Several rumors about the student being arrested are circulating, but Clements says that isn’t necessarily true.
“The process with juveniles is a little bit different, so the terminology there probably isn’t correct,” says Clements. “But we’ve identified the individual involved, and the appropriate steps are being taken.”
Idaho Falls School District 91 spokeswoman Margaret Wimborne said the lockdown lasted about 30 minutes.