DeKalb mom says her kids are afraid to attend school due to shooting threats

DeKALB – DeKalb parent Lina Harris said she's concerned about how DeKalb School District 428 is prioritizing the safety of students and staff amid a rash of threats purporting mass violence, most found by police to be not credible, reported in the region lately.

The DeKalb mother said she's been looking into the district's life safety budget to see what officials are spending money on.

"I have four children in [the] DeKalb school district. All [of them] felt very unsafe to even attend school," Harris said. "[They] are very anxious. I have middle schoolers who can't even focus on work at this point. And my kids are honor roll students, good students."

Harris addressed her concerns directly in front of the D-428 board this week, as school threats trended across northern Illinois communities.

In a statement, Superintendent Minerva Garcia-Sanchez said this was intensified by a "misguided and dangerous prank" made by one of the district's own students in recent weeks.

"Sadly, we live in a world where bad actors purposely use social media to cause mass disruption and fuel fear," Garcia-Sanchez wrote. "Young people, and some not-so-young people, are too quick to believe and spread what they see and read on social media, which only exacerbates the problem. I assure everyone that there is not a day that goes by that I, along with my entire team, aren't focused on the safety and security of our students and staff."

Harris questioned whether the district would be ready in the event of an emergency situation to protect students and staff.

"To me, the plan is just a shooter drill," Harris said. "That's all I kind of see."

Garcia-Sanchez said drills are only one part of a larger plan DeKalb officials take to keep schools safe.

"We have five highly trained school resource officers and more than 18 security assistants who are dedicated to school safety and ensure all protocols and procedures are being followed," Garcia-Sanchez said. "They are also trusted resources for our students, and the relationships they build with them are critically important."

DeKalb hasn't been immune from what's been happening nationwide. Potential threats have been reported at both Huntley Middle and DeKalb High schools this fall.

One such measure that Harris believes would put families at ease is if DeKalb schools employed metal detectors at building entrances.

Garcia-Sanchez said district officials have considered it but determined it wasn't "an effective choice."

"Although metal detectors are another layer or tool that can be used, it is proven that metal detectors in schools will not necessarily stop a threat," the superintendent said.

Garcia-Sanchez said ongoing threats, whether hoaxes or not, have disrupted the learning environment.

She said the district has stepped up its mental health support and resources in recent weeks.

"We take every threat seriously, and when those threats are unfounded or based on rumors and false information spreading on social media, valuable time and resources are lost that could be directed in more productive ways for our students and staff," Garcia-Sanchez said.