SAN ANTONIO – Threats of violence at schools, such as the bomb threat that shut down Steele High School on Wednesday, are becoming increasingly more common.
Crime Stoppers of Houston’s Safe School Institute is hosting presentations at schools across the state to inform students about the severe consequences of making a threat, no matter whether it is real or not.
“There is actually a law in Texas about terroristic hoaxes,” said Cally Conklin, an education specialist with Crime Stoppers of Houston. “So even if you are joking or you did not mean it, and you state it or write it online, or somebody reports you, you can be arrested.”
Students are seeing an increase in threats in their own personal lives, too.
“We see it on social media. A lot of people post it thinking that they’re edgy. Or like... to try to be funny, but I don’t think any of that’s funny,” said Elliani Garcia, a junior at San Antonio ISD’s Advanced Learning Academy.
Garcia said she was surprised to learn about the serious consequences kids can face for making a threat after attending one of the recent Crime Stoppers presentations at her school.
“I’ve seen kids wind up in alternative schools,” Conklin said, “even expelled from school altogether.”
Conklin said that she wants kids to know they have the power to speak up when they hear threats.
“We always tell the students they are often the eyes and ears of the campus,” Conkin said, “and that they hear things and see things long before the adults do.”
“If they see or hear something suspicious, they absolutely have to report it,” Conkin continued, “because you never know what could come of it.”
Conklin said that there are multiple ways for students to report threats anonymously.
“A lot of school districts have anonymous reporting tools, but at Crime Stoppers, we also have a 100 percent completely anonymous tip line,” Conklin said. “We never learn the identity of our tipsters.”
Garcia said she has used an anonymous line to report bullying, but would also use it if she heard a threat.
“Talking and joking about hate-criming and violence is never funny,” Garcia said. “All of it should be taken seriously.”
Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling **8477 or on the Crime Stoppers website. Tips will be forwarded to school administrators.
Educators and administrators can request a presentation at their school by submitting a form on the Safe School Institute’s website.
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