Illinois High School Postpones Graduation Ceremony Following Threats

Illinois High School Postpones Graduation Ceremony Following Threats

Argo Community High School postponed its graduation ceremony hours before it was scheduled Tuesday after two people were arrested for making two separate threats against the school on social media, police and school officials said.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • May 23, 2019

Argo Community High School postponed its graduation ceremony after two people were arrested for making two separate threats against the school on social media, police and school officials said. The graduation was originally scheduled for Tuesday night.

The first threat against the school was made Sunday via the app Snapchat. The high school was placed on a soft lockdown Monday and a suspect was arrested around 5 a.m. Monday morning. Charges were pending, according to the Chicago Tribune.

A second person was arrested Tuesday after posting a separate threat on Snapchat. According to the school, police said the suspect has no connection to the school and charges are also pending.

Argo Community High School’s graduation was postponed just hours before it was scheduled to take place Tuesday.

“Due to the extenuating circumstances surrounding the past 48 hours, and because graduation is supposed to be a joyous and celebratory event, graduation has been cancelled for this evening and will be rescheduled,” Superintendent Jill Kingsfield said in a Facebook post. “We know many of you have family members who have travelled here to be with your family for this celebration and we apologize for the inconvenience.”

In a letter to parents, school officials said there was “no immediate threat to our school community.”  School began late Wednesday and students’ belongings were searched, according to the school.  In addition, Summit Police will be present on campus “throughout the week to provide assistance and additional security.”

Argo Community High School has not yet said when the graduation ceremony would be rescheduled.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • 2025 Secure Campus Award Winners Announced

    Campus Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 Secure Campus Award winners. Twenty companies are being recognized this year for products that help keep education and business campuses safe. Read Now

  • K-12 School Safety Trends Report Shows Training, Technology Are Saving Lives

    CENTEGIX, the industry leader and most widely adopted wearable safety technology provider for K-12 education, today released its 2025 School Safety Trends Report, the only comprehensive and data-rich analysis of school safety available in the wearable panic button market. The report identifies and outlines the top tech and legislative movements relevant to school safety in the U.S. and draws on data collected in the 2024/2025 school year through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform, including more than 265,000 incidents of CrisisAlert use. Read Now

  • Survey: Fewer Than 20 Percent of School Leaders Consider Their Main Entrance “Completely Secure”

    Singlewire Software, provider of solutions that help keep people safe and informed, releases the findings of its inaugural School Entrance Security Report, which captured responses from more than 500 school staff members across the United States. This research highlights the concerns and challenges schools are facing in securing their entrances and keeping students and staff safe from potential threats Read Now

  • Securing Higher Education: Combating Enrollment Fraud and Empowering Student Financial Success

    Higher education institutions are facing a costly and growing crisis: enrollment fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, the cost[1] of acquiring a new student surged by up to 32%, straining already tight budgets. At the same time, “ghost students” using stolen identities to enroll fraudulently put institutions at even greater financial risk. Read Now

Most   Popular