AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Just weeks into the school year, school districts across Texas are responding to numerous threats of violence from students and outsiders alike.
Nexstar stations across Texas have reported threats to at least 20 schools just this month.
Central Texas
On Tuesday, four Bastrop Middle School students were arrested after a threat toward the school was posted on social media. Bastrop ISD police determined the threat was “non-credible,” according to a letter Bastrop Middle School Principal Tiffany Peirson sent to families.
On the same day, two Pflugerville ISD students were arrested in connection with threats made to several campuses in the district, including Weiss High School.
Last week, Austin ISD police announced they would increase patrols at Hill Elementary School after a reported threat to the campus. Austin Police arrested a person for making a terroristic threat last Thursday.
Hays Consolidated Independent School District said a sixth grader was detained Thursday in connection with a threat. The Hays County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to KXAN it charged a minor with felony false report.
Last week, a Westlake High School student was arrested and accused of making threats against the school and students last Sunday. Eanes ISD Superintendent Jeff Arnett said at least four students alerted administrators about a student making “concerning comments” on Snapchat. Students used the district’s Westlake Watch reporting system to alert officials of the threats. The student was then charged with making a terroristic threat.
Marble Falls ISD also increased patrols on some of its campuses, following reported threats.
Llano ISD said Thursday a person was in custody after making threats on social media.
Lubbock
Last Monday, DPS responded to potential bomb threats made against Coronado High School and Frenship High School. Last Tuesday, DPS and FBI investigators learned the same suspect made more threats against Lubbock High, Monterey High, and Lubbock Cooper High. Five juvenile suspects from the Lubbock area were interviewed for their alleged role in “perpetuating the false threats,” DPS said.
Amarillo
The Dalhart Police Department received a photo on Tuesday describing an unspecified school shooting threat. Police described it as a nationwide “threat/hoax” circulating in multiple states, but said they will “not rely on hopes it is fake.” Dalhart ISD Superintendent Jeff Byrd said they did not find a credible threat but will maintain a heavy police presence on campuses for the week.
Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg and McAllen school districts were the target of an online threat traced to an FBI arrest of a Kansas City teenager on Saturday. Separately, the Progreso Police Department arrested a former security guard on Friday after he reportedly discussed shooting teachers and “blowing up Progreso High School.” Roberto Hernandez, 20, was arrested and accused of making a terroristic threat.
And last Monday, a teen and a minor were arrested and suspected of making terroristic threats through social media posts depicting firearms.
Wichita Falls
A City View High School student was charged with making a terroristic threat on Sept. 10. Jessie Tinsley, 17, was arrested and subsequently released on bond after allegedly posting a photo on Snapchat depicting an AR-15 rifle, shell casings, and knives, captioned with “**** City View, I don’t claim y’all as a student anymore.”
San Angelo
Last Wednesday, the San Angelo Police Department announced it is investigating potential threats against Central High School. San Angelo ISD said rumors spreading about the school are “unsubstantiated and untrue.”
Lawmakers respond
In Austin on Wednesday, state lawmakers tasked with keeping students safe are reviewing the impact of House Bill 3, the major school safety law passed last year in part to respond to the Uvalde massacre.
Lawmakers and superintendents identified shortfalls in the law. It imposes broad security mandates on school districts, including infrastructure and training upgrades and a required armed officer or security personnel on every campus. But the bill did not come with enough money to implement those requirements.
Rep. Steve Allison, R-San Antonio, said Texas “has created another unfunded mandate for something very important.” The law provides $15,000 per campus for school security, but that “does not come close” to paying for a full-time armed officer, one school official told the committee Wednesday.
Dr. Kathy Martinez-Prather with the Texas School Safety Center said the increase in threats could be due to the “contagion effect,” in which schools see an uptick of threats after a high-profile mass casualty event, like the recent school shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia.
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