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Local schools received threats of violence


Annie G
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This week three schools in a nearby district have received threats of violence. Then today I read that since February 15 there have been 369 threats/incidents in schools in this country. I haven’t verified that number or looked to see how much higher than normal that is. My question is this: after something like Parkland, why does there appear to be an uptick in threats? I know it’s unusual for three schools nearby to all have threats so is it a coincidence or do these events spur more people to make threats?

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I'm sure that the 369 number is waaaay low. We've had threats in several surrounding districts. Our next-door district cancelled school on Thursday and our district also had threats, but were found by the police to not be real- they did not call off school, but a LOT of parents kept their kids home anyway. I remember kids calling in bomb threats when I was a kid- I think this is sortof the same thing.

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I remember bomb threats when I was in school in the 70’s so I guess this is just the updated version. The threats here were very specific and pretty scary so I’m sure lots of kids stayed home. I wish I understood why people make these threats after a recent incident. Attention? They enjoy spreading fear? just for kicks?

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What saddens me Emma Gonzalez saying that their school shooting is going to be the last one. Some sicko is probably already plotting one. :(

I don’t want to ‘like’ your post - you’re right, someone is out there planning a shooting. maybe not a school, but somewhere. Theater, concert, schools, mall...there are awful people planning unspeakably evil things.

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Jen thanks so much- that was exactly the stuff I was looking for.

 

I imagine it’s so hard to sift through the threats to determine which are serious and which are not so I’m guessing they take them all as serious. As a kid we always knew bomb threats were hoaxes but of course they always made us go outside anyway. And in 20 minutes they let us back in. I bet it’s a been a tough week in schools.

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This week three schools in a nearby district have received threats of violence. Then today I read that since February 15 there have been 369 threats/incidents in schools in this country. I haven’t verified that number or looked to see how much higher than normal that is. My question is this: after something like Parkland, why does there appear to be an uptick in threats? I know it’s unusual for three schools nearby to all have threats so is it a coincidence or do these events spur more people to make threats?

There is an uptick because humans largely do what others do. We look around, observe and then copy what others have done. We don’t do as much critical thinking as we think we do.

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There is an uptick because humans largely do what others do. We look around, observe and then copy what others have done. We don’t do as much critical thinking as we think we do.

Would it be helpful to not show the face of the perp or say his name? Would Americans tolerate that or would they demand to know every detail?

I’m not sure I agree with you that we copy what others have done. The people copying school shooters are not average,everyday people. They are troubled and mean.

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There is an uptick because humans largely do what others do. We look around, observe and then copy what others have done. We don’t do as much critical thinking as we think we do.

Would it be helpful to not show the face of the perp or say his name? Would Americans tolerate that or would they demand to know every detail?

I’m not sure I agree with you that we copy what others have done. The people copying school shooters are not average,everyday people. They are troubled and mean.

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Would it be helpful to not show the face of the perp or say his name? Would Americans tolerate that or would they demand to know every detail?

I’m not sure I agree with you that we copy what others have done. The people copying school shooters are not average,everyday people. They are troubled and mean.

If you want to learn more about this, Robert Cialdini’s book Influence: The Power of Persuasion goes into more detail. Yes, it would probably help to not discuss the perp much but with the internet, that could be hard to do.

 

The fact is, people mimic what others do. We do it because it conserves energy from having to think. Cialdini’s book explains this as well. It is alarming how much we are influenced in our daily lives.

 

On the other hand, we can be influenced to behave better, too. My youngest’s high school is 3,000 plus students, open, has little security and has put in place psychological tactics and resources to prevent violence. I think this is a better direction to go.

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If you want to learn more about this, Robert Cialdini’s book Influence: The Power of Persuasion goes into more detail. Yes, it would probably help to not discuss the perp much but with the internet, that could be hard to do.

 

The fact is, people mimic what others do. We do it because it conserves energy from having to think. Cialdini’s book explains this as well. It is alarming how much we are influenced in our daily lives.

 

On the other hand, we can be influenced to behave better, too. My youngest’s high school is 3,000 plus students, open, has little security and has put in place psychological tactics and resources to prevent violence. I think this is a better direction to go.

Our natural tendency towards mimicry is why I worry about media violence.

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MBM- thanks for the book recommendation. Can you elaborate on the kinds of things your school has done?

It is rare to expel a student. I’ve never heard of it being done although I don’t know for sure. Doing so can actually lead to violence. The school (public) is massively compassionate toward students and what they’re experiencing and seeks to get the best help for anyone who needs it. They are very good at listening and attempting to understand.

 

Throughout the school you’ll see signs that are designed to influence students’ behavior — drug use, etc. Some activities also help to foster this as well. This is straight out of Cialdini’s book.

 

One thing the school encourages is for kids to be in cliques based on shared interests and experiences (no cutting others down) but the school also arranges a daily home room, mostly chit chat, that places about 20 diverse students with one teacher who all stay together sophomore through senior years. (There is a separate freshman campus where those same students meet with a freshman teacher.) Friday mornings are donut/bagel days and these groups also do volunteer activities to bond. That teacher also gets to know the students’ families.

 

The school also has an ongoing lecture series to discuss a wide range of issues and topics. It’s called The Family Action Network. Students, parents, school personnel, therapists and anyone interested may attend for free. Some of the lecturers even permit videotaping and those can be found at the website.

 

https://www.familyactionnetwork.net/

 

All of my kids are adults now but if I could do it over, all three of them would have gone there.

Edited by MBM
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...

Experts who study mass murder say if you’re going to report on the individual, show the murderer in the most unflattering light possible, perhaps on the autopsy table or incarcerated. Never print their manifestos and/or propaganda. We are not saying eliminate facts about the assailant, but instead eliminate the gratuitous use of their names and likenesses, thereby eliminating the spotlight they seek.

 

...

 

I have always thought that all nicknames of criminals should be insulting.  

 

The School District in Keller, TX informed parents a little after 11 am today of a threat of school violence yesterday.  

 

I agree though with the PP that says these are the updates bomb threats.  

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 I know it’s unusual for three schools nearby to all have threats so is it a coincidence or do these events spur more people to make threats?

 

I don't think I'd say it's unusual.  One of our local schools was closed just days before Parkland for a bomb threat.  There have been many non-credible and credible threats made throughout our area school districts for what, tragically, seems like forever.  Yes, they seem to have increased (specifically the non-credible ones, though I do think that term sucks,) in the current wake.  But it's an increase in what was already happening, not a sudden trend.

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There have been studies. NoNoteriety pushes the idea that if mass shootings get publicity, it's ensuring others will follow. I'm still tracking down the exact article, but if I recall correctly, there is a significant chance of copycats within 2 weeks of a mass killing. 

 

Contagion in Mass Killing - study

 

Several past studies have found that media reports of suicides and homicides appear to subsequently increase the incidence of similar events in the community, apparently due to the coverage planting the seeds of ideation in at-risk individuals to commit similar acts.

 

Experts who study mass murder say if you’re going to report on the individual, show the murderer in the most unflattering light possible, perhaps on the autopsy table or incarcerated. Never print their manifestos and/or propaganda. We are not saying eliminate facts about the assailant, but instead eliminate the gratuitous use of their names and likenesses, thereby eliminating the spotlight they seek.

 

 

 

 

We had one arrest locally due to a threat and my hometown high school requested additional security due to the likelihood of copycats.

 

Really, maybe this is what they should start doing...

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There have been multiple threats reported across my state in the past week too. Even my little hometown’s junior/high school added police presence at the school because of rumors of a threat made through social media. It didn’t turn out to have been a credible threat, but they took it seriously.

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There have been several in our school district. 

Dd's friend at another school told her a second friend had seen a kid who made a threat (I believe on social media) just sitting at school in the cafeteria. Her mom pulled her out of school for the day and complained to admin. 

 

We've had some Twitter threats, too. Our high school principal sent out an email detailing procedures and such. 

 

It's scary. 

 

At my own preschool, our classroom doors don't even lock. I am sick and haven't been to school since the shooting, but I am going to ask to revisit our own procedures til we get something decent in place. (Our school doors are kept locked and only admin lets folks in.)

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Thanks, everyone. Lots to think about. I’m trying to move beyond the gun issue and on to the what motivates people and how can we prevent that. You’ve all been really helpful and pointed me in the right direction to help me understand some of the issues.

MBM the book is on order from our library system and I’m looking forward to reading it. What your local school is doing sounds like the kinds of things our local school needs to do. Our school is a mess and we live in a small town with only one high school. if we can’t figure it out I can’t imagine how large districts do it.

Thanks again, guys. I’m grateful for all the input even if I didn’t ‘like’ your post. My laptop lived a long and happy life but passed away suddenly and dh bought me a lovely iPad Pro to replace it. Love it, but it’s taking me a bit to get used to it and I’m struggling a little as I adjust.

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Do you ever imagine there's some dark web site not unlike these forums, where potential mass shooters go to share their fantasies and intentions?

Good night, I'm creeping myself out just thinking about it.

 

I’m pretty sure it’s called Reddit 👀

Okay, I’m kidding like 30%. More likely it’s 4chan and its ilk.

Yes, they’re out there. I’ve not been on them, but I’ve read articles where a reporter will give snippets of things from them. I believe there was one from a few school shootings ago and it talked about the shooter saying how he would shoot up the school and then kill himself and the people he was posting t were all, “Yeah, man. Go for it.â€

 

——

A school in my general area was closed down for a day or two because of some sort of threat. I know kids at that school

 

And at another school nearby, a 13 yo was arrested for a bomb threat. I also know kids at that school.

 

I think that the kids are making threats to get out of school, the kids are making threats because they think it’s funny and don’t have the maturity to understand that it’s not, the kids are making threats because it’s a weird cry for help or attention, or the kids are making threats because they really *are* a threat.

 

I don’t know if there are more threats than usual, or if the law enforcement people are responding more than usual, or both. I’d imagine that at this point, police/FBI/whomever has to investigate every tiny spark that shows up, since no one wants to be the group that dismissed something that looked like a joke or a “get out of school for the day threatâ€, but turned out to be real.

Edited by Garga
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A kid brought a loaded handgun to our local middle school on Thursday, and a threat was called in to a local high school Friday. The gun issue is actually very sad. The seventh grade boy is socially very naive and has been being bullied. The kids who have been bullying him dared him to bring a gun and implied they would be his friends if he did. He did and they reported him and this little naive kid is in juvenile detention with the whole city wanting his head and the kids who dared him are being hailed as heroes. He had no intention on hurting anyone. He just wanted to impress the guys who dared him so they’d be his friend. I’m furious at this kid’s parents for making the gun accessible. I’m furious at the zero tolerance policies that mean this kid’s life is destroyed, and I’m furious at these socially savvy kids who dared him and are getting praised.

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Locally we have one kid arrested for making terrorist threat re: school shooting.  That was in a neighboring city.  Other schools also got threats.  I heard of two students arrested somewhere in the state with guns in their cars on campuses but neither one was a threat- one was a guy who forgot that his hunting rifle was still in his truck (he had been hunting the previous weekend) and the other was something similar like that.

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I agree with the contagion--it's like suicide in that way. I suspect that the uptick in the arrests and reporting of threats since the Florida shooting is due partly to the attention paid to this. If someone has been nervous about a kid's behavior, they are reporting it now. If a kid sees a rifle in the backseat of a car in the school lot, he's reporting it.

 

In the weeks after Columbine, my daughter's large high school had dozens of bomb threats and shooting threats. The kids got "used to" being hustled to the athletic fields and standing there for hours.

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