A school-initiated investigation into possible gang activity at Richmond Hill High School may have sparked concern recently among some parents who felt their children were being singled out, but one Bryan County Board of Education member has lauded school officials for being proactive against violence.

“I’m really, really happy to see that we’re taking a proactive approach instead of a reactive approach,” BoE member Charlie Johnson said Thursday night during the school board meeting at Richmond Hill Primary School.

Five RHHS students, including members of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), were suspected of being involved in a gang and were suspended earlier this month from extracurricular activities following a “threat of violence” at a basketball game.

RHHS Principal Dr. Charles Spann said Thursday the investigation is over and no students were expelled or suspended from school. Spann said he could not discuss the results of the investigation.

And though parents expressed to local news media their concerns of things like racial profiling in the investigation, Johnson said Thursday it’s up to school administrators to keep students and staff safe.

For more, pick up a copy of the Jan. 29 edition of the News.