Virginia mom threatens to bring loaded guns to school over mask mandate
A Virginia mother threatened to bring guns into a school over a mask mandate, prompting law enforcement officials to investigate the situation.
"All right, no mask mandates," a parent identified as Amelia King said during a school board meeting on Thursday, according to news reports.
Clips of the meeting were circulated over social media.
"My child - my children will not come to school on Monday with a mask on. All right, that's not happening. And I will bring every single gun loaded and ready to - I will call every-," King said before she was interrupted by school officials who said she had gone past her three minutes for comment.
"I'll see y'all on Monday," King said toward the end of the clip.
A letter, which was signed by Page County Public Schools superintendent Antonia Fox and school board chair Megan Gordan, condemned the parent's comments and said that they "go against the very nature of how we as a community should interact with each other."
"PCPS is addressing this issue and is in communication with local law enforcement. At each PCPS school today and Monday, there will be increased police presence with support from the Page County Sheriff's Office," the letter, dated Friday, added. "The Luray Police Department will also provide additional police presence at the Luray area schools on Monday."
The Luray Police Department said in a statement on Facebook on Friday that King reached out to law enforcement after making her remarks at the school board meeting, understanding that the comments had caused alarm.
"The statement that was made absolutely caused public alarm, the parent that made the statement realized that, and immediately contacted law enforcement to apologize because the statement was not intended the way it was perceived," police wrote.
"We have been in contact with the parent who made the statement, she is cooperating with law enforcement. This incident is still under investigation and no arrests have been made at this time," police added.
The Hill has reached out to the school board and school district for further comment.
Updated Jan. 22, 2:03 p.m.
