EDUCATION leaders across Barnsley have sent letters to thousands of parents after reports of so-called ‘school wars’ broke cover on social media.
The Chronicle can reveal both Outwood Academy settings in Carlton and Shafton were among the first to send urgent letters in a bid to allay concerns over pupils’ safety.
Online posts dividing an area’s schools into blue and red teams, then telling them to meet and fight for ‘points’, have spread across the UK.
Both schools have put on special assemblies in order to discuss the matter with pupils.
Paul Taylor, principal of Outwood Carlton, said: “We are fully aware of the posts circulating online and understand the significant anxiety and concern this is causing within our community.
“It has become clear that a small number of individuals - primarily from outside our school community - are fuelling unsubstantiated hysteria across various social platforms.
“These individuals are using the ‘School Wars’ tag to incite fear and violence.
“We have passed all relevant information to the police - they are working closely with us to identify these external individuals who are attempting to incite fear in our local area.
“To date, there is no evidence to suggest these online references are credible or linked to our pupils.
“However, the safety of them is our number one priority and we will not tolerate outside interference that disrupts their peace of mind.”
Outwood Shafton’s principal, Alison McQueen, said a ‘vigilant and supportive environment’ remains and urged pupils to continue attending as usual, after some parents flocked to social media to say their children were staying indoors last Friday.
“Attendance at school is vital for both the academic progress and the personal well-being of our young people.
“We must not allow unsubstantiated claims to deprive our children of their fundamental right to an education.
“Our school remains open and safe.
“We encourage all pupils to attend as normal, and we will continue to maintain a vigilant and supportive environment.
“We ask that parents and carers remain mindful of their children’s social media activity.
“If you see specific posts of concern, please report them to the platform and, if necessary, share them with the academy rather than sharing them further on public forums, which can inadvertently spread the fear
these individuals are seeking to create.
“Finally, I want to reassure you that if any of our pupils are identified as fuelling and inciting fear and violence, or act in a manner that threatens the safety of their peers, this will be met with a swift and severe consequence.”
However, although South Yorkshire Police confirmed that information had been sent in, they said they had ‘received no confirmed reports of any criminal offences or injuries directly linked to this trend’.
Superintendent Paul Ferguson, force lead for neighbourhoods, said: “We have specialist officers and staff in force who are actively monitoring social media and co-ordinating intelligence as part of our response.
“We are seeking out the accounts responsible and doing everything we can to get them shut down.
“While we have received numerous calls to pass on information, intelligence and concerns, we have received no confirmed reports of any criminal offences or injuries directly linked to this trend.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the trend was concerning.
“We need to stop this latest trend turning into real-world violence with the clear risk of young people being seriously injured or killed,” he added.
“Barely a week goes by without something appalling happening on social media.
“This is the latest example of the wild-west environment on these platforms.”
