I want to address an increasing number of school threats happening all across our city.
Police are frequently monitoring inappropriate and threatening images posted by students, as well as threatening statements aimed at classmates and at schools. We, in the North East ISD, are seeing the same trend.
I would like to emphasize that all threats will be taken seriously. I understand that children may not fully comprehend the severity of their actions and the consequences that may come with poor decisions. Please take a minute to explain to your child how threatening posts may create a criminal record. It is a criminal act when a student posts a threat online – in certain situations it is even considered a felony offense. Law enforcement never considers it a joke.
North East ISD has a specific protocol when threats occur. We have police officers who specialize in social media and constantly monitor the internet for concerning posts. Once a threatening post is made, an investigation is launched and officers track the post to identify the author. From there, police visit the student at school or make home visits to determine whether the threat is credible. Police say that the vast majority of posted threats are an attempt by students to get attention or get the day off from school. Our Police Department also has a mental health unit that intervenes when a social media threat appears to be an outcry for help. Many times, the situation is resolved, and the posts are deemed baseless. Nevertheless, we take every single threat seriously.
Please know that our objective is to maintain a safe learning environment for your children, and we will press charges when a threatening post is made. Just last week, two of our students were charged with making terroristic threats after posting threats online. One of them is facing felony charges. We must work together to stop this social media trend and ensure that our children do not establish a criminal record for themselves or cause harm to others.
If you need help or guidance regarding your child’s mental, physical or emotional health but don’t know where to start, please visit the Counselor’s Corner link on your campus webpage. Here, you’ll find a hub of online mental health resources along with contact information for your school counselor.
North East also has a partnership with the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine, or TCHATT, program. This is a short-term counseling resource for your family to access services for depression, anger, anxiety, self-harm or suicidal feelings, peer problems or trauma. Please contact your school counselor for more information about TCHATT.
Additional resources are also available on the NEISD Guidance Services webpage on topics, such as mental health and wellness, child safety and more.
Thank you for your partnership and support on this important issue.
North East Independent School District
8961 Tesoro Drive, Ste 112
San Antonio, TX 78217
http://www.neisd.net
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