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Rap song threat sparks concern from Oconee County school district parents, inquiry from FBI

Song posted to SoundCloud back in May

Rap song threat sparks concern from Oconee County school district parents, inquiry from FBI

Song posted to SoundCloud back in May

-- TAGGART HOUCK IS FOLLOWING THIS. HE JOINS US WITH MORE. >> YES. AT SOME POINT THE FBI WAS LOOKING INTO THIS. SOME PARENTS TELL US THEY JUST FOUND ABOUT -- FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS SONG LAST WEEK. THE DISTRICT SAYS THEY REACTED APPROPRIATELY. MIKE’S CONCERNS ABOUT RAP SONG POSTED TO SOUNDCLOUD BACK IN MAY THREATENING ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS AND IT CAME FROM A GROUP OF STUDENTS. >> I WAS HOPING SOMEONE FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD ADMINISTRATION COULD AT LEAST GIVE A MORE FIRM RESPONSE TO PUT AT EASE PARENTS WHO ARE CONCERNED. >> THESE MEN ARE VERY DEEPLY ASHAMED. >> A LAWYER FOR THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES SAID IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE POSTED AND THAT THE LYRICS WERE PULLED FROM OTHER RAP SONGS. THE DISTRICT SAYS THE STUDENTS WERE PUNISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BEHAVIOR CODE AND THAT IT WAS HANDLED CORRECTLY. >> IF WE HAD EVEN A REMOTE THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE VIOLENCE PERPETRATED AT OUR SCHOOL, DO YOU REALLY THINK WE WOULD LET STUDENTS GO INTO IT? >> SOME SAY THEY ARE NOT HAPPY. >> THOSE -- IF THOSE KIDS REALLY WERE SORRY, THEY WOULD HAVE APOLOGIZED IMPRESSION. FOR THAT WAY TO SAY THOSE KIDS WILL NEVER GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THEY ARE SORRY, WHY DON’T THE PARENTS TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AND SAY THEY ARE SORRY? THAT IS WITH THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. >> THE FBI TELLS US THAT ITS MEDIA POLICY PROHIBITS DISCUSSING THE OUTCOME OF INVESTIGATIONS ON MATTERS WHERE CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE NOT FILED. THE FBI INVESTIGATES THE FACTS OF AN INCIDENT AND WHERE APPROPRIATE, FORWARDED FOR JUDICIAL CONSIDERATION.
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Rap song threat sparks concern from Oconee County school district parents, inquiry from FBI

Song posted to SoundCloud back in May

Some parents in the Oconee County School District are concerned after learning a rap song was posted to a streaming platform threatening school staff and administrators earlier this year. The song, which used expletives, was posted to SoundCloud back in May and was about 3 minutes long. It prompted an inquiry by the FBI. Rapper A$AP Rocky charged with felony assault with a firearmIt was created by a group of students at Walhalla Middle School. Threats in the song were directed at the school's principal, assistant principal and some teachers there. Some district parents and other community members said they learned about the song for the first time last week after reading it in the newspaper. Jim Mann, Vice Chair of the Oconee County Republican Party, spoke before the school board Monday. "I was hoping that tonight someone from the school board could at least give a more firm response to put at ease parents who are concerned," he said. Roberta Barton, a lawyer who said she represents some of the students who created the song and their families, said that they are sorry for what's happened and that they never intended for it to be posted. She said the song consisted of some phrases pulled from other rap songs. These young men are very deeply ashamed of what they did," said Barton. "The families all want all the teachers that were identified in this song to know they are so deeply sorry." The district said those students were punished in accordance with its behavior code after the song was first reported. Rapper Fetty Wap arrested after allegedly wielding a gun during a FaceTime video callSuperintendent Michael Thorsland said the school handled it correctly. "There is law called FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)," he said. "We're not allowed to talk a whole lot about student information including student misconduct. If we had even a remote thought that there was going to be violence, that there was going to be violence perpetrated at our school, do you really think we would let students come the next day?"But some parents after the meeting said they're still not happy. "If those kids really did care or were sorry that they did that, they would apologize in person," said Rannie Bond. "For their lawyer to say that those kids will never get the opportunity to say, I'm sorry, why don't their parents have them take that opportunity and say they're sorry? Because that's what the community needs." The FBI confirmed to WYFF News 4 that it launched an inquiry after learning about the song but a spokesperson would not elaborate further. "The FBI's media policy prohibits discussing the outcome of investigations on matters where criminal charges are not filed. The FBI investigates the facts of an incident and, when appropriate, forwards it for judicial consideration," said Kevin Wheeler, spokesman for the FBI in South Carolina.

Some parents in the Oconee County School District are concerned after learning a rap song was posted to a streaming platform threatening school staff and administrators earlier this year.

The song, which used expletives, was posted to SoundCloud back in May and was about 3 minutes long. It prompted an inquiry by the FBI.

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Rapper A$AP Rocky charged with felony assault with a firearm

It was created by a group of students at Walhalla Middle School. Threats in the song were directed at the school's principal, assistant principal and some teachers there.

Some district parents and other community members said they learned about the song for the first time last week after reading it in the newspaper.

Jim Mann, Vice Chair of the Oconee County Republican Party, spoke before the school board Monday.

"I was hoping that tonight someone from the school board could at least give a more firm response to put at ease parents who are concerned," he said.

Roberta Barton, a lawyer who said she represents some of the students who created the song and their families, said that they are sorry for what's happened and that they never intended for it to be posted.

She said the song consisted of some phrases pulled from other rap songs.

These young men are very deeply ashamed of what they did," said Barton. "The families all want all the teachers that were identified in this song to know they are so deeply sorry."

The district said those students were punished in accordance with its behavior code after the song was first reported.

Rapper Fetty Wap arrested after allegedly wielding a gun during a FaceTime video call

Superintendent Michael Thorsland said the school handled it correctly.

"There is law called FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)," he said. "We're not allowed to talk a whole lot about student information including student misconduct. If we had even a remote thought that there was going to be violence, that there was going to be violence perpetrated at our school, do you really think we would let students come the next day?"

But some parents after the meeting said they're still not happy.

"If those kids really did care or were sorry that they did that, they would apologize in person," said Rannie Bond. "For their lawyer to say that those kids will never get the opportunity to say, I'm sorry, why don't their parents have them take that opportunity and say they're sorry? Because that's what the community needs."

The FBI confirmed to WYFF News 4 that it launched an inquiry after learning about the song but a spokesperson would not elaborate further.

"The FBI's media policy prohibits discussing the outcome of investigations on matters where criminal charges are not filed. The FBI investigates the facts of an incident and, when appropriate, forwards it for judicial consideration," said Kevin Wheeler, spokesman for the FBI in South Carolina.