State officials respond to an alleged racist incident at Tishomingo High School.

Police and school officials released statements Thursday in response to what they called “an incident involving several students at Tishomingo High School.”

The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said it was “aware of an incident involving some students at Tishomingo High School,” according to a statement on the department’s Facebook page.

“At this time, this incident is a school and parent issue, and they are handling the situation,” Sheriff Gary W. Dodd said in the statement, stressing that the actions of some students do not reflect well on the school or the community as a whole.

Dodd said the sheriff’s office, along with Tishomingo police, is primarily concerned with the safety of all students and staff at the school. To ensure safety, Dodd said law enforcement will increase security measures at the school and at other events.

“Any threat to the school or a child as a result of this situation will be criminally investigated,” Dodd said.

The nature of the incident was not disclosed and no further details were given about the students involved.

Tishomingo Public Schools announced that due to ongoing safety concerns, the school will cancel all Homecoming activities scheduled for Friday, September 20.

“Due to safety reasons, it is with great regret that I announce the cancellation of all Tishomingo Public School Homecoming activities scheduled for tomorrow, September 20, including the parade and football game.

While it is unfortunate that the actions of a few would impact a long-standing tradition enjoyed by many in our community, discussions with our partners in local law enforcement have reinforced the district’s decision to cancel, with the safety of Tishomingo and Antlers students, fans and participants as the top priority.

The district is grateful to our local law enforcement partners who continue to provide tremendous support to TPS during this difficult time. I want to reiterate that racism and discrimination in any form will never be tolerated or accepted on our campus and are not consistent with the values ​​of our students, our school, or this wonderful community.

The district will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates as needed. Thank you for your patience, understanding and support of Tishomingo Public Schools.”

Following the recent incident involving students, Tishomingo Public Schools announced plans to increase security measures on all school campuses.

Superintendent Brandon Moreland released a letter Thursday confirming the district’s collaboration with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Department and the Tishomingo Police Department to more closely monitor schools and students.

“Any threats against students or the school will be referred to local law enforcement for criminal investigation,” Moreland wrote in the letter.

The superintendent also urged the community to continue to support the district’s students, teachers and staff as safety measures are increased.

No further details about the nature of the incident were released.

State Rep. Jason Lowe (D-Oklahoma City) issued a statement Thursday condemning an alleged racist incident that he said was related to Spirit Week at Tishomingo High School.

“There is no place for this type of so-called ‘celebration’ in our country, our state, and most importantly, in our schools,” Lowe said. “It is 2024, the dark days of this hateful, racist word being used widely and publicly are long behind us. I will not tolerate hate, bigotry, or racism in any form and urge the Tishomingo School District to take punitive action against these students for their unacceptable behavior.”

State Inspector Ryan Walters responded with the following statement:

“Every student in Oklahoma is entitled to a classroom environment free of racial bias and it will not be tolerated. The district has responded quickly to discipline the students responsible and local law enforcement is involved to ensure the protection and safety of our students. Our agency is closely monitoring the situation and is in contact with the district to offer additional support.”

The Superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools also issued a statement:

The recent increase in false reports has significantly disrupted our students’ learning environment. This is unacceptable. Every student and staff member has the right to feel safe at school.

I am grateful to our law enforcement partners for actively investigating every reported threat and holding those responsible accountable. The time spent on these investigations is very significant and diverts time and resources from the most important needs of our community.

Families need to know that such student behavior can impact your child’s school career and have serious consequences. These investigations often include interviews with parents and home searches that include confiscation of personal property such as phones and laptops.

OKC Police released the following information regarding the severity of these actions.

“We are actively investigating several threats against our local schools this year. Since the start of the school year, there have been 65 threats against schools in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, 33 of which occurred in the past week. Several individuals have been identified and charges are being filed with the state attorney’s office on charges of terrorism and threats of violent acts (felony). Several other threats remain under active investigation.

Parents, please talk to your children about the seriousness of these crimes. All threats are taken seriously, even if the person has no intention of carrying out the violent act. A comprehensive investigation will include an application for search warrants to search homes, confiscation of any weapons the person may have access to, and confiscation of any electronic devices that may have been used to make the threat. The penalty for a person convicted of making a terrorist hoax or threat of violent acts is up to 10 years in prison per count and reimbursement of related investigation costs.

These threats not only disrupt classes, but also consume critical resources that should be used to keep our community safe. We are committed to protecting our schools and will continue to investigate every lead.

Thank you for your support.”

I urge our families to take action by closely monitoring their children’s online activity, as even jokes can have serious consequences. Families can learn more about how to monitor their students’ online activity at https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/online-safety.