An uptick in vague, social media–based threats to schools is scaring parents across the country, including in Santa Barbara Unified and other school districts in Santa Barbara County.
Such threats, while predominantly false, have increased since the school shooting in Georgia earlier this month, and local law enforcement have vowed to take each post seriously. Schools from Santa Barbara to Ventura have received these threats, including six confirmed so far in Santa Barbara County in the past two weeks. One “non-specific” social media threat targeted Santa Barbara Unified this past Monday.
It followed a suspected gun threat that put San Marcos High School on lockdown on Thursday, September 12, the same day that Dos Pueblos High School was the subject of a social media threat.
“An extraordinarily high number of social media–based threats have been reported across the nation since the middle of last week,” according to a joint message from S.B. Unified, the Santa Barbara Police Department, and the County Sheriff’s Office. “Our local law enforcement officers are thoroughly investigating these cases to keep our schools safe.”
In the message, authorities advise the public to “report instead of repost.” Social media posts and rumors spread fear, they said, and assessing threats in real time becomes challenging when students repost threats rather than report them.
They ask for people to share concerns about threats to law enforcement through official channels, rather than engaging in fear mongering. S.B. Unified has a platform called CrisisGo that can be employed to report any concern to district leaders immediately.
School districts and law enforcement respond by immediately investigating any threats and providing counseling and mental-health services, according to authorities. Whether genuine or a hoax, they said, there are “serious consequences for those making such threats,” including criminal charges, school disciplinary actions, and negative impacts on a student’s future.
Santa Barbara Police Chief Kelly Gordon said that local law enforcement are “actively investigating each post and contacting each person who posted to determine the credibility of the threat.” Posts so far have been “non-specific,” she said, and the identity of Monday’s original threat-poster is currently unknown.
“The Santa Barbara Police Department will not tolerate any threats to the safety of our students and staff, and we will thoroughly investigate these matters,” Gordon said. “Those who are discovered sending threatening messages or reposting school violence messages with the intent to instill fear or cause panic could face criminal charges.
“We encourage students, parents, and faculty to report these threats to the Santa Barbara Police Department. We have taken measures to ensure the safety of our students while they are attending school by increasing police presence throughout our schools within the City of Santa Barbara.”
County Sheriff Bill Brown echoed Gordon’s statement that his office will “investigate every threat” and “take appropriate action to ensure the safety of our schools.” He emphasized the call to “report — don’t repost. Share this information with law enforcement — don’t share in spreading fear.”
“While we understand the fear and anxiety parents feel during these events, we need you to partner with us,” said Santa Barbara Unified Superintendent Hilda Maldonado. “We ask you to talk with your children about how the things they say and post online or re-post via social media or text messaging can impact others. It is no different than yelling ‘fire’ or ‘bomb’ in a movie theater. Saying or threatening violence that is not real will have severe consequences. Let them know to share with you and the adults at school instead of their friends.”
