A New Richmond High School student was arrested and suspended Oct. 29 after making a threat on social media, according to Enos Pennington, communications manager for New Richmond Exempted School District.
The student, who was not identified, posted a threat on the anonymous social media app Yik Yak.
The threat resulted in a search by New Richmond police, school administrators, and high school staff.
The search included all students entering the high school on Wednesday.
“The student was arrested by New Richmond Police Department and removed from the building,” Superintendent Adam Bird said.
Bird said the arrest was an example of the cooperation between the police department and high school staff.
New Richmond officials also announced that they would be banning the use of the Yik Yak app at the district.
According to a release from the district, Yik Yak allows users to anonymously create and view posts in a virtual message board within a 1.5 mile radius depending on how many users are nearby.
“Cyberbullying has already occurred,” Superintendent Adam Bird said. “Many disparaging, ugly, vulgar comments are being made about students and staff using Yik Yak.”
Bird said the district will now be monitoring the site.
“The use of Yik Yak is now being monitored by New Richmond schools and students should know that nothing on the Internet is completely anonymous,” Bird said. “But we can only control what goes on in our buildings, we need parents to help monitor their students’ use of Yik Yak.”
Students are currently allowed to use cell phones at specific times according to high school principal Mark Bailey.
Bailey said they may have to reconsider that policy.
“They are allowed to use cell phones at lunch time and in the classroom for academic purposes and apparently that’s not happening,” Bailey said. “We now have more than enough iPads and Chromebooks therefore the use of cell phones is no longer needed for research.”
Bailey said he has several issues has concerns with students saying hurtful things about other students and staff members using Yik Yak.
“In my mind, it is a form of cyber bullying,” Bailey said.
He said his second concern is about the distraction of the social media app when students should be attending to instruction and learning.
“I would rather be working with staff and students to improve academics rather than focusing on issues like this,” Bailey said.