According to the Educator’s School Safety Network, nearly 2,000 threats were made to schools nationwide during the 2023 school year. Threats impact schools, even when later found to be false, by disrupting students’ education with delays or closed school days, as well as alarming parents and students.
“By definition, a threat is ‘a statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone or something in retribution for something done or not done’ with that as the basis,” said FCHS School Security Officer Von Hill, Jr.
FCHS experienced its first school threat of the year on Aug. 21, when the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office received several reports the previous evening of a threat made on social media against Fluvanna County Middle School. According to WRIC News, the sheriff’s office called for a district-wide two-hour delay out of caution and increased their presence at schools when they opened that day. The names of the two boys involved were not released since they are minors. The delay impacted thousands of students and staff in Fluvanna County.
“Anytime there is a school threat and school is delayed, it’s always annoying because the day ends up feeling rushed, and it’s hard to finish all my work,” said FCHS sophomore Lily Hagan.
Students’ brains continue developing until their mid-to-late 20s, so the teenage years are crucial for learning what it takes to find well-paying jobs, understand instructions, and communicate effectively with others. Threats of violence interrupt this valuable learning time, both initially and long-term, as they can increase students’ fears.
“The school shooting threats truly terrify me. These things really happen, and you never know, it could happen to us,” said senior Oscar Rivera-De Jesus. Junior Topher Huff agrees. “School threats make everyone feel unsafe and make me very uncomfortable,” he said.
School threats affect students not just physically, but also psychologically. According to PubMed Central, gun-related school violence has increased drastically in the last 20 years. In an experiment using the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses,” studies showed a significant association between depression and other mental health difficulties and feelings of safety at school.
Various consequences can arise for someone who makes a threat against a school. Anyone committing an offense of this nature can face punishments ranging from a Class 5 felony, though minors typically face a Class 6 felony or Class 1 misdemeanor. These penalties may seem harsh, but school threats affect not only those in the school, but also parents and families.
“Our policy is a 10-day suspension standard or longer after a meeting with Dr. [Don] Stribling at the School Board Office, and you also have to meet with the School Board,” said Hill.
He added that the problems these threats cause for him, fellow School Safety Officer Malcom Nelson, and school administration are significant. “We have to cancel certain activities happening during the day and after school. Students who struggle with sudden schedule changes become disoriented, and the Admin team as a whole must ensure the safety of the students and staff of FCHS in a timely manner, whether the threat is real or fake. At the end of the day, our main goal is to ensure that everyone is safe,” said Hill.
With threats to schools in Virginia continuing (including a Sept. 16 threat against Harrisonburg High School which resulted in the arrest of a 16-year-old male student), it is important to know that school divisions and local authorities take such threats seriously.
“As a parent, I fully trust the division and their decision-making regarding the credibility of threats. We have a wonderful sheriff’s department that works with the schools efficiently and effectively to ensure the safety of all students and staff,” said FCHS Spanish teacher Jennifer Kettrick.
