Our Chicago: Rise on online school threats and the toll its taking on communities

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Threats of violence against schools have become a re-occurring issue in our area and across the nation.



Whether it's real or a social media hoax, schools need to be ready with a plan.

"We don't have the luxury of assuming that this is a hoax," said Lockport Township High School District 205 Superintendent Doctor Bob McBride.

That was the case last month when two high schools in Lockport were placed on lockdown as police investigated a threat that was deemed unfounded.



McBride said there are several ways the district stays on top of threats. Informally, the district relies on students reporting things they see or are concerned about directly to a teacher, administrator or on the district's Crisis Go App.



"That is the most important reconnaissance we can get," said McBride.

Formally, the district has a consultant listening to social media. "So whenever we see spikes in conversation about our campuses, we know we're alerted," said McBride.

McBride said he attributes several factors to the rise in online threats, including cell phone use and online gaming.



"Their partners in play from anything from Fortnite - could be their next door neighbors to someone halfway across the world - and often times in those spaces, students are sharing details about themselves that they might want to be more thoughtful about.," said McBride.

McBride also reminds parents not to come to school in the event of a threat.

"It's a normal, natural reaction to go to your child," said McBride. "But it creates the potential for an even more unsafe situation."

Another thing not to do is text your child.

"Imagine law enforcement is sweeping a building. They're on high alert. They don't know if it's a hoax. They don't know if it's real. A child comes out of a classroom and is running down a hallway," said McBride. "The consequences can be something we don't want."

Part 2

Doctor Tali Raviv, a Clinical Community Psychologist at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.



"The impact of having these constant false alarms, true alarms, really take a toll," said Raviv.

For the past 15 years, Raviv has helped lead Lurie's Center for Childhood Resilience.



"We are hearing more about this from families," she said. "We are also seeing a nationwide crisis in attendance and there are many factors influencing student attendance but one is certainly not feeling safe in the school environment."

Nationally and internationally, anxiety and depression rates have risen about 50% for young people, according to global data.

"Fifteen years ago we were needing to make the case to schools about why this was important for them to pay attention to," said Raviv. "Now we have schools knocking at our door saying we need help because our students can't learn when they are not in school, when they are feeling the effects of mental health problems."

Raviv who has four kids in public schools said it's important for parents to have a conversation with their child following an incident and ask "how did you handle it, how did it feel," said Raviv. "Opening that conversation caregivers can really get a sense of is my student doing okay."

Furthermore, Raviv said parents needs to deal with their own anxiety separately.

"Kids are looking to their parents for their reaction," said Raviv. "So if parents are feeling really stressed and heightened sometimes that's heightening children's anxiety as well. "