School system addresses social media rumors about students acting like cats
By Janice Limon
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GREENVILLE COUNTY, South Carolina (WYFF) — Greenville County Schools released a message to students and their parents Wednesday: Before you believe social media rumors, talk to school officials.
Superintendent Burke Royster addressed false rumors that have been circulating in the community and on social media locally and nationally at Tuesday night’s Board of Trustees meeting.
His message was directed at what he called false claims of students being allowed to act out as cats or other animals while at school.
Royster explained the rumors and his advice to parents in the following statement:
“I want to address the false rumors that have been circulating in the community and on social media claiming that our schools are putting in litter boxes for students who behave like cats or other animals and allowing students to respond to teachers by meowing, among other things.
“The things that have been described would be disruptive to school and therefore would not be allowed. These types of rumors have been documented as circulating across the country for at least nine months and, to our knowledge, have all been unfounded.
“Regardless of what is or is not happening in other parts of the country, I can assure parents and our community that if students behave inappropriately, it will be addressed, and Greenville County Schools has not and will not be implementing any of the things described in these rumors or social media posts that are circulating.
“I never imagined that I would have to deliver this kind of message, but it is clear that some people are getting all of their information from social media and the internet and then drawing conclusions based on that information as opposed to going directly to the source.
“Before you believe something like this, and more importantly, before you pass that along, we would ask that you talk to the principal of your local school or reach out to the district’s ombudsmen. Thank you.”
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