Tweets Prompt School to Keep Students Out of Basketball Game

Update: A teenager has been arrested after making threats to blow up the Kings Park High School gymnasium via the social media network Twitter on Friday. Click here for the full story.

School district officials in Kings Park have decided to bar student spectators from a Friday evening basketball game after a series of tweets between the teams became concerning.

According to Superintendent Susan Agruso, a series of tweets between Kings Park students and Islip High School students were “inappropriate” and prompted school officials to contact police.

“An Islip student in his tweet used the word bomb,” said Agruso.

The superintendent also said that the student had not been on school property and that Islip school officials were addressing the problem as well. “Police are handling the issue,” said Agruso. “That student was not on school property and there was never an issue of safety…there was no reason to go on a lockdown.”

A spokesperson for Suffolk County police said they are looking at Twitter to determine if a threat was made.

The district, as a precautionary measure, made the decision to allow only members of the team at the game and their parents, to avoid any further tensions.

“The police will be here and we have extra security at the school tonight,” Agruso said. “The police were on it immediately and both schools took appropriate action. There was no danger, no safety issue. We are just taking extra precautions.”

The district posted the incident on their website and sent an automated call to parents in the district notifying them of the decision. Agruso said an email was being sent as well. Below is the statement posted on the district’s website.

No Students Allowed at Basketball Game

Some Kings Park and Islip high school students have been sharing tweets over the last few days building up to the boys’ basketball game this afternoon. Some of the tweets were inappropriate, but based upon one of the tweets sent we were required to notify the Suffolk County Police Department who are handling the situation.

 Students will not be permitted to attend the boys’ basketball game today. There will be a police presence at the high school this afternoon and evening, and additional security measures are being taken to ensure the school is safe.

 Parents, please remind your children that engaging in this type of behavior is not a joking matter. There may be severe penalties, both criminal and under the school district’s Code of Conduct, for such behavior.

 The school district remains committed to fostering a safe educational environment for all of our students and our community.