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Parents have questioned student safety recently as social media rumors about online threats hit too close to home.
Police have arrested 10 people across North Texas in relation to threats to schools.
On Sept. 11, Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District (CFBISD) sent a letter to families addressing the issue.
In addition to reporting the district was affected by the threats, which were found to be hoaxes or not credible with “no real threat to students or teachers at this time,” the letter said factors required staff to clarify rumors instead of teaching and assured parents that the district has a “solid security plan in place” throughout the district as safety is the district’s top priority.”
Police arrested four students in Lewisville, three people in Arlington, a student in Frisco and a student in Wylie who had been expelled.
In a separate incident, Farmers Branch Police Department (FBPD) arrested Ramiro Manuel Rivera of Murphy on Sept. 9 for making terroristic threats, which is a Class A misdemeanor.
Mary Immaculate Catholic Church staff had contacted FBPD on Aug. 28 about threats made to the school. On Sept. 4, detectives from the Farmers Branch Criminal Investigation Division obtained an arrest warrant for Rivera.
Rivera was booked into the Farmers Branch Municipal Jail and released after posting bond.
The case will be transferred to the Dallas County District Attorney’s office for prosecution.
In a statement, the FBPD said they are actively working with Mary Immaculate Catholic School to increase patrols and ensure that uniformed officers are on campus when students are present.
CFBISD provided a statement to the Branch Herald: “As a reminder, it is a serious crime to make a threat against a school, whether real or a hoax. School suspension and jail time are real possibilities for anyone making threats, regardless of intent. We take all threats seriously when it comes to our schools, and we encourage everyone in our community, from parents to students, to be vigilant and report any concerning incidents immediately. It’s crucial that we address issues directly rather than amplifying them through rumors and speculation on social media.”
The district has a page on their website dedicated to school security. It asks parents to be vigilant about what students bring to school and to talk with their children about what are acceptable items to take to school. Toy guns, toy knives and lighters are prohibited as are drugs, weapons and disruptive behavior.
Students who violate the rules are subject to arrest and legal action as well as disciplinary action.
The district maintains an anonymous alert app that is available at all times for anyone to report illegal or suspicious activity in and around campuses and facilities.
“Our goal is to continue to provide a culture of safety, security, and emergency preparedness that must be integrated into the overall school culture in a balanced, rational, and comprehensive way that is non-alarmist, but proactive and progressive in nature,” the website says.
