Threat to High School Calmed Long Before Anxiety Grew

A threat that brewed fear among the students and community around Mendham High School was actually quelled long before the level of anxiety grew, which was borne out of social media, according to Mendham Borough Police.

On Monday, Mendham High School Senior Resource Officer Joseph Kennedy met with the school’s administration to discuss a Facebook post that was concerning some students, Mendham Police Chief Pat Libertino said.

According to police, the posts read in succession:

“Somebody want to give me a ride to Mendham?!!!”
“ITS TIME MOTHER******!!!!!!”
“Please someone give me a ride to Mendham.” 

The posts went viral, triggering other Facebook posts, Twitter tweets, and text messages spreading throughout the high school community, Libertino said. Those posts on various social media sites began trending toward school violence occurring at West Morris Mendham High School, Libertino said. 

As a result, investigations were opened in the towns that send students to Mendham High School.

Officers in Chester Township, Mendham Borough, and Mendham Township conducted investigations into the statements, and it was determined there was no credible threat to the school, students, or staff, Libertino said.

The man who posted the comments on Facebook was interviewed and found not to be a threat, Libertino said. An increased police presence at the high school was made as a precaution Tuesday morning.

“If there was any ever threatening situation – even a 1-percent chance of something happening – we would have called off school that day,” West Morris Regional High School District Superintendent Mackey Pendergrast said.

Once the police interviewed the person who made the comments and concluded their investigation, Pendergrast said he felt the school community was safe and secure, but requested a larger police presence Tuesday to calm the fears of the community.

Pendergrast said the problem he noticed Tuesday morning was the lack of communication to him regarding the community’s fears.

“I found out about the level of the community’s anxiety from (Mendham-Chester) Patch, not from the residents,” Pendergrast said. “The problem is getting info directly from the community about the level of anxiety they’re having on a certain issue.”

Pendergrast said he received just one message from a parent in the community regarding student or family’s fears.

"In retrospect," he said, "given the medium the issue began on and understanding the power of social media, I would have communicated earlier to try to calm everyone's fears. We will certainly be cognizant of these factors moving forward."

The superintendent can be reached via email at mpendergrast@wmrhsd.org.

Community Conversation

While the district has been taking steps to heighten the safety and security of students and faculty at both schools, Pendergrast is open to hearing more from residents.

The district will be holding an open forum with the superintendent on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at Mendham High School to discuss safety and security.

“I want to explain to the community what we’re doing at the school to make things better, but also want to hear from the community and take suggestions,” he said.

Both schools in the district have undergone security audits by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and are awaiting results. The current school year’s budget includes funding for security upgrades, including the changing of doors at Mendham High School as well as video surveillance upgrades at both schools.