A Resource for School Administrators.
Regardless of whether a threat in your school community is credible or not, it can still disrupt the school environment. Swatting calls and other online threats are becoming more common in schools across the country. Administrators face the challenge of keeping everyone safe while managing these threats to students and staff. This is no easy task, as many of these threats are intended to disrupt and frighten students.
Effective communication with your staff and school community is crucial in managing these situations. Each incident may present unique challenges, but keeping everyone informed helps prevent panic. Whether dealing with a legitimate threat or a fabricated one stemming from rumors, clear communication is essential. At this link you will find information from the Department of Homeland Security regarding Swatting.
Below, you will find sample letters or emails that you can repurpose to send to parents. Feel free to edit them as needed. We hope these templates save you valuable time.
Letter to Parents Regarding a Potential Threat or Concern
Dear (School) Family:
(Your School) is aware of several social media rumors currently circulating. Yesterday, we were informed about a general social media post. After a thorough investigation, we have determined that it does not pose a credible threat. It appears that the post originated in the (location) area, where a student was also arrested in connection with it.
Additionally, there was a false claim made today on another local social media page stating that our school was under threat and in lockdown. This information is also incorrect. Please be assured that if any threat arises, we will collaborate closely with our district team and the local police department to investigate it immediately.
We take every threat seriously, regardless of its source or perceived credibility. We appreciate it when concerns are reported, as it allows us to investigate and ensure the safety of our students. Thank you for your continued support in keeping our students safe!
Letter to Parents Regarding a Threat at a Different School
Dear (School) Family:
Our district is addressing public concerns regarding a threat reported in a neighboring district. The alleged threat originated from a social media post targeting schools in another state, using the words “targeted” and “school.” Although this situation appears to lack credibility and directly affects a neighboring district rather than ours, we at [school district] want to reassure our community that we remain vigilant in monitoring activities on and around our campus to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community at all times.
Although this situation appears to lack credibility and directly affects a neighboring district rather than ours, we at (school district) want to reassure our community that we remain vigilant in monitoring activities on and around our campus to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community at all times.
Letter to Parents Regarding Threat(s) or Incident at Your School
Dear (School) Family:
I am reaching out to request your help and support. Recently, we have experienced an multiple incidents involving threats at (school locations). These incidents have caused stress for our students, families, and staff, and have disrupted the learning environment. We are grateful to our administrators and local law enforcement partners for their swift and thorough investigations of threats, and we are thankful that these threats were found to be non-credible.
We ask that you speak with your child about the seriousness of making threats. Please help us emphasize to all students that making a threat against a public school, whether on social media, in conversation, or in any other form, carries serious legal and disciplinary consequences.
As a district, we handle all incidents in accordance with our policies, with support from local law enforcement. Please also talk to your child about the importance of reporting any threatening posts or communications to our school staff and police. We strive to create an environment where students, staff, and families feel empowered to report anything suspicious or out of the ordinary; prompt reporting is crucial in helping us maintain a safe school environment.
If you come across a social media threat, please do not forward or repost it. Instead, take a screenshot and share it with school administrators and police. Sharing the post makes it harder to determine its origin and hampers the investigation.
Please Assist Us:
Please avoid seeking answers on social media. If you have any questions, contact us directly. Help us prevent the spread of rumors. Often, the stories spread by rumors are far from the truth. We aim to protect our students’ lives and character. We are committed to doing everything we can to keep our students and staff safe. Our schools have multiple safety protocols prioritize the safety of our people above all else.
Please reassure your students that we are doing everything possible to keep them safe. We are committed to providing you with as much information as we can. However, specific details about the incident, student names, and disciplinary actions cannot be publicly shared. We will communicate with you consistently, but please understand that our priority is ensuring the safety of our students and staff. We need to investigate the matter thoroughly to ensure the accuracy of any information we provide. Once these steps are completed, we will communicate with you directly via email, phone, or text. The method of communication will depend on the emergency level and time of day.
We truly appreciate our partnership with our families in all we do. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out.
Letter to Parents Regarding an Incident that Occurred at Your School
The Police Department was recently contacted by many parents regarding public concerns about one of our schools being targeted for violence. Officers and detectives swiftly responded. Through the investigation, it was determined that a young student saw a video on social media that identified several schools as targets for violence, including one in our district. Another student shared the post, and the post went viral within our community. Detectives spoke with the student and learned that the video had since been deleted.
During this investigation, we discovered that several TikTok videos list hundreds of “targeted” schools, ranging from K-12 schools to universities across the United States. We found no specific credible threat to any schools in our district.
We have also received several screenshots of Snapchat stories discussing potential violence at one of our schools. Each of the original posters has been interviewed. Detectives learned that they did not have any information regarding a specific threat but were posting out of fear and concern for their safety and the safety of their friends. Additionally, many others have been sharing unconfirmed rumors, which has added to the fears.
Please know that this is an ongoing investigation. All leads are being aggressively pursued by a team of officers and detectives. If you have any information, please call the police department at (NUMBER)
Letter to Parents Regarding a Threat Directed at Your School
Dear (School) Family:
You may be aware of the increase in social media threats against schools across the state this week. Early this morning, [SCHOOL] was mentioned in threatening social media posts. While we do not believe these threats to be credible, we are working with local law enforcement to investigate and enhance security. As a result, you will see an increased police presence at all campuses this morning.
These incidents cause stress for our students, families, and staff, and they disrupt the learning environment. We appreciate our administrators and local law enforcement partners who work quickly and thoroughly to investigate these threats.
If it’s age-appropriate, please talk to your student about the seriousness of making a threat. Help us emphasize to all students that making a threat against a public school, whether on social media, in conversation, as writing on a bathroom wall, or in any other format, has serious legal and disciplinary consequences. As a district, we will handle all incidents in accordance with our policies, with support from the (CITY) Police Department and our local juvenile office.
Please also talk to your student about reporting any threatening posts or communications to our school staff and police. We strive to create an environment where students, staff, and families feel empowered to report anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. Prompt reporting is crucial in helping us maintain a safe school environment.
If you see a social media threat, please do not forward or repost it. Instead, take a screenshot and share it with our school administrators and police. Sharing the post makes it harder to determine its origin and slows down the investigation.
Please Assist Us:
- Do not seek answers on social media. If you have a question, please contact us directly.
- Help us stop the spread of rumors. Our commitment to you is to do everything we can to keep our students and staff safe
Discussion on swatting calls is not difficult to find, these threats can be very disruptive. We hope this resource provides you with some value and time saved. For information about how our panic button technology can assist your school in an intruder situation, click the link here.