Local school districts have dealt with a rash of threats and safety concerns since the start of the academic year. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
At least five school districts in our area have dealt with threats of violence in recent weeks. Most of these have occurred since the deadly September 4th shooting in Georgia, and most of them have spread via social media. Several schools have closed at some point in the past two weeks while law enforcement investigated, and at least seven minors have been detained or charged with making threats. Education Week reports similar incidents are taking place across the country.
CHRIS MONAHAN: You know, in the days of social media, these things start trending, and whether it's the individual is troubled in some way, or they're looking for attention, or they just think it's funny, it's certainly taken very seriously by law enforcement and it can lead to very serious consequences.
Chris Monahan is the criminal investigations commander for the Harrisonburg Police Department. Harrisonburg and Rocktown High Schools were closed Monday after a social media threat was reported to the police Sunday evening.
MONAHAN: An individual had threatened to "shoot up Harrisonburg High School," and then they provided a detailed plan of how this act would be carried out.
While the initial report came from a phone call, Monahan said additional helpful information was provided via an anonymous online platform, called tip411, that the department launched earlier this year. On Monday evening, a 16-year-old Harrisonburg student was charged with making those threats and similar ones against Wilson High School in Augusta County.
MONAHAN: It's unknown what the motive of the individual was.
Augusta County has had other scares, too. On August 30, another student was charged with making threats over social media. On September 12, an unrelated arrest of a man fleeing an apartment complex in Fishersville led to the temporary 'securing' of nearby schools.
Shenandoah County has seen even more threats – Sheriff Tim Carter told me on Monday they'd already dealt with 14 incidents of actual threats or rumors since the start of the school year. Then they had another on Tuesday. So far, four teenagers have been charged.
TIM CARTER: And it is time-consuming. … You know, you have to actually do it old school and start going around and going, "well, where did you get this from? Who sent it to you?"
The cases of students charged with making threats will proceed in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, which is closed to the public. Whitney Mauck, the school resource officer supervisor, said other scares have grown out of the rumor mill.
WHITNEY MAUCK: Or statements in reference to speaking about school violence, speaking about school shootings, and then a couple kids overhear that and it turns into, "so and so is talking about committing an act of school violence."
Nearby Page County has also reported middle and high school students issuing threats on social media, according to a letter from the district's superintendent.
Two coinciding incidents in Frederick County last week prompted school closures.
WARREN GOSNELL: One event was a male juvenile who was last seen leaving his residence by his father in possession of a handgun. Now, this juvenile, as far as we know, never was on or threatened any school campus.
Warren Gosnell is the public information officer for the sheriff's department. He did not know why the juvenile had taken the gun. After nearby schools were notified of that ongoing search, Gosnell said a year-old social media post started circulating through Frederick County, Winchester, and Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
GOSNELL: A vague post about … "I'll be aiming at buses tomorrow." … Based on further investigation, it was found to be about a year old and wasn't from the immediate area.
However, between the two incidents, the school district closed for the day on September 11. The minor with the handgun was apprehended in the early morning hours that day.
GOSNELL: We'd much rather take the time to investigate something that turns out to be nothing than to say, "well, we coulda, shoulda, woulda."
I had hoped to speak with a mental healthcare provider about the risk factors behind kids making these kinds of threats, and the effects they have on fellow students, parents, and educators. Northwestern Community Services Board did not have anyone available on short notice.
George Nipe, director of behavioral health services with the CSB in Harrisonburg, wrote in an email, [quote] "this situation goes way beyond the impact of social media, and into one of the more upsetting and frightening things so many communities are attempting to understand and cope with. As I’m sure you can imagine, this kind of thing also has a pretty significant impact on our staff who work with our child and adolescent clients – many of whom are parents themselves." [end quote]
WMRA also reached out to the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Youth Violence Project, but did not hear back by the time this story aired.
Lieutenant Monahan advises –
MONAHAN: If parents or family members know that their child are in a position where they may post these threats online, kind of as a cry for attention or as a way to get revenge or exert control … make sure you're talking to the children, and giving them a proper outlet for their stress or the emotions. Make sure to explain to them the importance of responsible social media use and the consequences of posting these hoax threats.
All the authorities I spoke with wanted students to know – "if you see something, say something," and say that something to a trusted adult, rather than propagating it on social media.
Editor's note, Sept. 20 — A previous version of a photo caption incorrectly stated that both of Harrisonburg's high schools were targeted by a recent threat. Only one was targeted, but both were closed for the day. The caption has been corrected.
