TFSD Aims to Ease Concerns After Violent Threat

After a violent threat was made online last week against multiple schools in the Twin Falls School District, many parents and students had concerns about their safety.

A social media post claimed there would be shootings at 16 TFSD schools in the upcoming week. Police determined the threats to be baseless and that it would be safe to go to school, but some still had concerns.

Twin Falls School District Eases Concerns After Threat of Violence

Once the threat was determined to not be a viable threat, and was made by a juvenile, the school district and police sent out messages that, out of precaution, there would be extra police presence at all schools for a few days. Even that announcement wasn’t enough to make everyone feel safe so the TFSD has since released another message to students and parents to remind them of the safety measures already in place at Twin Falls schools.

These policies include lesser-know security measures at the schools, like the ALICE protocol which is in place to allows teachers and students to make ‘in-the-moment decisions about how to best address emergency situations’. Schools also have a digital ‘Panic Button’ system so any staff member can put a school into lockdown immediately. The Twin Falls Police also have access to it.

Additionally, there are more visual safety precautions at each school. Armed security and school resource officers help ensure schools are not ‘soft targets’ and locked exterior doors ensure that access is only available through the main office entrances.

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What to Do if You See a School Threat Online

Many people saw the shooting threat in online posts shared by concerned people, not the original post by the juvenile. The TFSD shared the following information on what to do in this kind of situation:

It is critical that students be aware that sharing these kinds of threats, even if they were created by someone else, can have disciplinary and legal consequences. If your child sees something concerning on social media, it is best to take a screenshot of that post and share it with the proper authorities, either district personnel or law enforcement.

The school district also reminded the community that these standards of safety are not stagnant and can be updated depending on threat levels in the community or the world. Copycat posts, similar to the original threat, can be expected in the coming weeks and authorities will respond to each with an investigation.

READ MORE: TFSD Threatened with Mass Shooting in Social Media Post