By BOB HIGH and
FULLER ROYAL
Staff Writers

Extra sheriff’s deputies will be on duty at Evergreen and Cerro Gordo Elementary schools today (Monday) after written threats by a person or group invoking the name of the Ku Klux Klan made threatening statements involving the absorption of minority students from the closed Fair Bluff Elementary

The letter, making generous use of the “N” word, said that the Cerro Gordo and Evergreen communities did not want the black children from Fair Bluff enrolled in their schools.

About one month ago, the Columbus County Board of Education voted to close the low-performing Fair Bluff school. During a public forum, there were no objections raised by anyone from Evergreen or Cerro Gordo.

“I’m very surprised at someone doing something like this,” Sheriff Chris Batten said Sunday night as he addressed a printed sheet distributed in the western communities of Columbus County.

Printed sheet conveying the threats were found Sunday morning in the Evergreen community by several residents. Sheriff’s reports show people living along Otis-Donnell Nixon Road and N.C. 242 found many copies of the paper in their driveways and yards.

One batch of the threats was found outside the Mt. Horeb AME Church in Evergreen.

Fair Bluff Police Chief Marty Lewis said one letter was found in Fair Bluff as early as Saturday night.

“We’re treating the threats and racial slurs as serious, and it is serious,” Batten declared.

Columbus County Schools Superintendent Dan Strickland said the letter was probably the work of one or two individuals.

Strickland heard from community leaders and parents throughout the day. His first phone call was at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

The letters had been left at residences, churches and the schools.

He said that he had received no negative comments about closing the school from anyone in the Evergreen or Cerro Gordo communities.

He said that school orientation at both schools went well last week.

“We need for everyone to work together in harmony in a situation like this, and something like this happens. It’s uncalled for, and disgusting. We’re going to do what’s right, and make sure there’s no trouble,” the sheriff added.