Threats against Pa. schools are rising, largely fueled by social media, Pa. attorney general says
Several Pa. youth have been charged in connection with making false reports that eventually interrupted school days. Most of the false threats have been spread via social media.
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Threats against Pennsylvania schools — some of which have prompted closures — have risen sharply this school year, a spike that state officials said was caused by social media.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said that she wasn’t looking to criminally charge students, but that intentional false reports have traumatized students and school communities.
“If you feel threatened, or have witnessed an act or conversation that causes concern, or are struggling with your own mental health, by all means, seek help and report it,” Henry said in a statement Wednesday. “If you are looking to get a free day off school and scare your classmates, stop and think about the consequences.”
Safe2Say Something, the attorney general’s reporting tip channel, has seen a spike of more than 50% in reports this school year over the same time last school year, officials said. Most of those reports came from false threats shared on social media channels like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.
Henry, along with Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and Khalid Mumin, the state’s education secretary, warned parents and students against sharing social media threats, which are often vague and intended to make false reports go viral.
“Every Pennsylvania kid deserves to be safe and feel safe in their community, and Gov. [Josh] Shapiro and I are working hard to make sure our kids’ schools are places where they can learn and grow,” said Davis. “Unfortunately, the epidemic of gun violence is affecting nearly every community across the commonwealth, and threats to our schools are a constant concern for parents. As a new dad, I empathize with those concerns, but it’s important for parents to know the facts and talk to our kids about what they’re hearing at school and seeing online.”
Because all threats are vetted and taken seriously, false threats drain resources, said State Police Col. Christopher Paris.
“Several” youths have been charged in connection with making false reports that eventually interrupted school days, state officials said.