Macon County Schools reschedules homecoming tailgate over safety concerns

The district will announce a new date later. Friday’s statement covered the tailgate, while the October 23 football game and other activities were left unaddressed.

OGLETHORPE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Macon County School System is rescheduling its October 23 homecoming tailgate, citing safety concerns and recent events involving large gatherings across Middle Georgia.

The district announced the decision Friday in a statement signed by Superintendent Dr. Johnathan B. Roberts Jr.

According to the statement, the change will allow the district to use a more defined perimeter where personnel and resources can be better coordinated.

The district did not identify a specific threat or incident. A new date for the tailgate has not been announced.

A flyer shared last week scheduled the event for Friday, October 23, in front of Macon County High School. Tailgate passes cost $150 and included five tickets to the homecoming football game.

Anyone who previously committed to participate and can’T attend on the rescheduled date will be eligible for reimbursement. The district says the reimbursement process will begin Monday, October 19, after noon.

The announcement only addresses the tailgate. It does not say whether Macon County’s October 23 homecoming game against Crawford County or other homecoming activities will be affected.

The decision comes days after Oglethorpe announced a citywide midnight curfew during homecoming weekend October 23-25. Oglethorpe’s notice says large gatherings and loitering will be prohibited within city limits after midnight.

The curfew announcement followed a mass shooting at a neighborhood block party in nearby Vienna that killed two people and injured 35 others early October 4. The shooting happened after Dooly County’s homecoming festivities. The Dooly County School System said the block party was not affiliated with the school district.

The previous weekend, 12 teenagers were shot during a large gathering at Carolyn Crayton Park in Macon.

The Macon County School System thanked local law enforcement agencies, elected officials and school board members for assisting with its safety planning.

The original tailgate flyer directed questions to the Macon County High School front office at (478) 472-8579.