As CT deals with wave of school threats, parents need ‘to step up and do parenting,’ CT senator says
There have been dozens of school threats in Connecticut during the past four weeks, and the issue is drawing the attention of legislative leaders and police.
From Ansonia to Bridgeport to Waterbury to Vernon, the near-daily threats have been made on social media by students as young as 13 and 14 years old. While the threats are almost always fake, they are all taken seriously, often causing a shutdown and a loss of valuable class time.
In the wake of mass shootings in Sandy Hook, Uvalde, Texas, and Parkland, Florida, police take every threat seriously to ensure another tragedy doesn't occur.
Gov. Ned Lamont met recently with the state education commissioner, school superintendents, and state emergency management leaders to determine how to address threats posted online concerning the schools.
"Our police are very careful seeing which are a serious threat or maybe some lark or somebody thinking it's a mischievous prank. It's not. It's serious," Lamont said. "Obviously, there's a lot of political polarization out there. If you're in Springfield, Ohio, you know why those threats are there. Those schools have been shut down. Here, most of the threats are young people reposting something, and maybe they think they're being funny. They're not. It's serious. We have to respond to each and every one of them."
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who discussed the issue with Lamont, said, "One truth is social media is an accelerant, like in a fire. It can spread and deepen harmful comments, threats and bullying. It can be a catalyst, as well as an accelerant. The harm that's done. Some think it's funny or a prank. ... Disapproval from contemporaries, peers is very important. Fellow students can have an enormous effect through social media in stopping social media from being an accelerant."
While the threats often send teachers, parents and students scrambling, authorities do not assume that a written comment is simply a false alarm.
"There is no such thing as a hoax or a prank," Blumenthal said. "Every one of them causes fear, and that's the great evil here: apprehension, anxiety, and fear. That's why we need more content moderation from social media. It's not only bullying and eating disorders. It's also physical threats. The social media companies have a responsibility that they have abdicated."
One major step, Blumenthal said, would be passing the Kids Online Safety Act in Washington, D.C. The bill, co-sponsored by Blumenthal, passed on a bipartisan basis in the U.S. Senate by 91-3, and now needs approval by the U.S. House of Representatives. Many members of Congress are headed to the campaign trail, and final passage of the bill might be after November's election. Among other things, the bill would mandate research and independent audits concerning how the social media outlets affect the mental health of students.
"One of the things that is so important about this bill is not just that we're regulating the social media companies to protect our kids, but it also gives the parents the tools to do the same thing," Lamont said of Blumenthal's bill. "Make sure they know what those kids are seeing and have a better idea of how they're responding. That's so important. I need the parents to step up and do parenting to the amount of time that kids are spending online and how deleterious it can be."
Statewide impact
Top Connecticut officials are also concerned about threats at the college level, which prompted more than 50 leaders to gather recently at the state Capitol complex for their third meeting to discuss possible threats on campuses.
State public safety commissioner Ronnell Higgins and FBI assistant special agent in charge Anish Shukla said they are concerned about threats at all levels of education. While local police often handle most cases, the FBI can assist with analytical, technical, cybersecurity, and laboratory resources if needed.
"We're seeing an alarming trend: roughly about one of these school-related threats a day in the last month," Shukla said. "It's critical for the FBI and our federal partners to be here to hear first-hand" about the threats.
In each case, the threats are investigated because officials often do not know immediately if the online post was made by a 13-year-old angling to avoid class or a someone with a gun intent on harm.
"We treat every one as serious, as real, and address them all in the same manner," Shukla said. "We don't assume any of these threats are baseless until the evidence suggests otherwise."
Senate Republican leader Stephen Harding of Brookfield, whose large district covers some towns that have been impacted, said the disruptions must end.
"From Torrington to New Milford to Litchfield and throughout Connecticut, we must have no tolerance for these devastating crimes," Harding said. "These are not 'pranks'. These are felonies. You will face stiff punishment and prison time if you are caught threatening a school. Don't even think about it. That blunt and clear message must be sent throughout our state."
In a recent case, a 13-year-old boy was charged with second-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace after several Waterbury public schools were mentioned on social media, police said.
"All threats against our schools are taken extremely seriously, and a thorough investigation is conducted to ensure the safety of students, staff, and the community," Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a statement.
Schools were closed in Ansonia in the Naugatuck Valley on Sept. 19 after police learned of threats on social media, and officials said they shuttered the schools "out of an abundance of caution."
During interviews with "potential witnesses," police said that a 13-year-old girl admitted to crafting a post that led to charges of first-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace.
Only a day earlier, Bridgeport police arrested a juvenile in connection with making threats in an arrest that was made with the assistance of federal authorities.
In the face of sudden threats, misinformation and disinformation are themselves threats as citizens are trying to find the most accurate information.
"In this regard, I'm encouraging everyone to rely on information from credible sources such as the city of Bridgeport, Bridgeport public schools, and the Bridgeport Police Department," Mayor Joseph Ganim said. "Our priority is to keep our children safe, and it'll take the community's effort to ensure we remain vigilant while protecting them."
Teachers and staff members were concerned in Bridgeport by a lack of communication following a threat. While principals and parents learned about the threat via email from the schools superintendent, the teachers in Bridgeport did not learn about it until seven hours later.
Connecticut Education Association president Kate Dias blasted the administrators, saying, "Leaving the teachers and staff out of the process and not informing them of a potential threat is an epic failure in communication by the superintendent and is another example of her disrespect and lack of concern for the dedicated educators in Bridgeport."
The city's deputy superintendent apologized for not immediately notifying the teachers about the "noncredible online threat," adding that improvements have been made for the future.
"It was an oversight on our part that teachers were not informed simultaneously with parents and principals," deputy superintendent Royce Avery said in a statement.
The Bridgeport threats spilled over into Fairfield, causing initial confusion before police realized it was the same original threat from the neighboring city that had led to an arrest. The threat led to an increased police presence at Fairfield schools.
In the same way, extra police responded in Middletown to a threat that was actually from the social media post regarding Bridgeport but had originally been believed to be directed at Middletown High School.
At the state Capitol, Senate Republicans said communication must be improved in emergencies.
"The unacceptable communication breakdown in Bridgeport highlights an opportunity for schools across Connecticut to review their current threat response and notification policies." Republicans said. "Timely and accurate communication is of paramount importance in any threat situation."
