Fifteen superintendents across Middle Tennessee signed a joint statement on the responsible reporting of school threats.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Fifteen superintendents across Middle Tennessee signed a joint statement on the responsible reporting of school threats.
The statement cites “a notable increase in reported threats to school safety,” and encourages students, staff and families to speak up if they see or hear anything that could be a threat. The statement stresses, though, that reports be made through “appropriate channels,” which include:
Contacting a school administrator, school resource officer or other school personnel
Using school-system specific reporting tools
Using SafeTN, the statewide reporting app
Contcating area law enforcement agencies via a non-emergency line
Or calling 911 in the event of an emergency
“Hoax threats can be highly disruptive to the teaching and learning process, while causing a great deal of stress and anxiety. We are asking for the help of our students, staff, families, and community members, by not sharing rumors or posts referencing unsubstantiated threats via social media,” the statement reads, in part. “Doing so only causes more confusion and misinformation to spread, which can make it difficult for law enforcement officials to investigate situations in a timely manner.”
The statement was signed by:
Dr. Adrienne Battle, Metro-Nashville Schools
Brian Hutto, Lebanon Special Schools
Dr. David Snowden, Franklin Special District
Dr. Cathy Beck, Cheatham County Schools
Dr. Scott Langford, Sumner County Schools
Dr. Christie Sutherland, Dickson County Schools
Mike Craig, Stewart County Schools
Dr. Robert Lanham, Humphreys County Schools
Dr. Jimmy Sullivan, Rutherford County Schools
Dr. Trey Duke, Murfreesboro City Schools
Jeff Luttrell, Wilson County Schools
Dr. Jean Luna-Vedder, Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools
Dr. Jason Golden, Williamson County Schools
Scott Moore, Houston County Schools
Dr. Danny Weeks, Robertson County Schools
In September, the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association released a joint statement in light of what they called an “increased volume of school threats” that stressed that those agencies “will not tolerate anyone making threats and inciting fear within schools.” Similarly, a state district attorney for Warren and Van Buren counties told News 2 that “every threat has to be vetted.”
Since the beginning of the school year for many districts across Middle Tennessee, numerous arrests have been made for making threats and false threats.