Rumors of a threat of violence made against Vernal Middle School were thankfully not
legitimate. Uintah School District shared the following at 7:03am on January 16th:
“Vernal Middle School and the Vernal Police Department have fully investigated a
possible threat of violence against VMS and found it to be entirely unsubstantiated. The
Uintah School District and local law enforcement take all threats against our schools
seriously and investigate them fully because the safety of our students and staff is our top
priority. Again, police and school investigations have shown that there are no threats to
VMS. However, additional police officers will be present on campus as a precaution.” At
9:30am on January 16th, the District shared more details, stating that the threat had been
investigated back to its source by Vernal Police and that the possible threat was specific
only to Vernal Middle School. Rumors on social media claiming that the threats were
made against Uintah Middle School and Uintah High School were false. A message was
sent to all VMS guardians using the SchoolMessenger system at 6:47am and the District
posted on social media at 7:03am but an outpouring of concern from frustrated parents by
the lack of communication led the District to investigate. They found that the message
from the SchoolMessenger system had failed to go out to all the intended recipients.
Uintah School District posted on social media in the aftermath a breakdown of school
security and procedures for those concerned what steps are taken in events like Tuesday’s
threat.
