School threats create chaos

Students headed to class May 7 were startled when bus radio communication belted out notice of active threats aimed at Beaumont ISD’s Vincent and Odom middle schools. Diverted from their daily routine, pre-teens destined for the intended targets pulled out their cell phones and began to reach out in fear. 

“They said on the radio that there is an active shooter and to keep us at Blanchette (elementary school),” one student frantically said from her seat on the bus as she called her aunt for help. 

By the time students made it to their staging area safely away from the targeted campuses, Beaumont ISD Police Department and ATF agents had already responded and set up shelter-in-place protocol, clearing the school to ensure the safety of students and staff. Within approximately an hour, both schools were cleared and students resumed their day. 

According to the BISD alert corresponding with the two middle schools’ shelter-in-place, the incident was not an active shooter, but instead, “a non-credible bomb threat” that was still being treated with all the caution of any “credible” risk at “the highest level of seriousness.” 

“Disruptions created by campus threats are hurtful to our students,” BISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Shannon Allen said. “BISD takes all threats seriously and we call upon our families to partner with us to stop these behaviors from students. 

“Threats received by campuses cause the district, the city and the county to expend resources and take them away from their normal duties. The threats also cause panic and worry for our students, parents and the community. We ask that parents make their children aware of the severe administrative and criminal consequences of participating in destructive and violent behaviors or threats. Students must realize that time out of class is not taken lightly and may add time to the school day or cause us to make up entire days. Administrators will consider those options when disruptions occur.” 

BISD Chief of Police Joseph Malbrough agreed that district does not take threats lightly. And neither does any of the assisting agencies clearing campuses post bomb threat – a collaboration of local and federal agents from the Beaumont Police Department, BISD Police Department, FBI and ATF. 

“Every threat will be thoroughly investigated,” Malbrough said, with some cases referred to prosecuting agencies for further punishment. “Those individuals making threats could receive penalties ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony offense. Anyone identified as making such a threat will be prosecuted to the fullest letter of the law.” 

In recent years, schools across the globe have faced a rise in false bomb threats and other hoax emergencies. Despite the frequency and impact of these threats, a pattern has emerged – few, if any, perpetrators are prosecuted for their actions. 

Local FBI office Supervisory Special Agent Nicole Sinegar, heading up the investigation following Tuesday morning’s threats, is working with Jefferson County District Attorney Keith Giblin to see that the perpetrators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law – if they are caught. 

“We take these matters very seriously and we understand that these threats disrupt our schools, and it is a waste of law enforcement resources when people make these fake threats. It puts our first responders at an unnecessary risk as they are running to the scene,” said Giblin. “I know for a fact that it causes an emotional response with our students, parents and teachers that are worried about this, so we take this matter very seriously.” 

“A lot of times these threats are made through IP addresses and are allegedly untraceable, but I’ve had contact with our FBI resident agent Nicole Sinegar and she is using all available FBI assets to find out who’s doing this,” Giblin added. According to him, no recent prosecution for local school terror threats has been undertaken to the best of his knowledge, but it is possible that juveniles have been processed through the juvenile court system for such crimes. 

“If it is kids doing it, I know they think it’s a joke or a way to get out of class,” Giblin said, “but if the FBI does find out who is making these threats, we intend to prosecute them and seek the highest punishment we can get because this has got to stop.” 

According to Jefferson County detention records, 16 juveniles have been prosecuted for making threats to local schools since 2021. 

During the 2022-2023 school year, there were 4,723 terroristic threats statewide, according to data by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Under state law, making a terroristic threat is a thirddegree felony. 

In Jefferson, Hardin and Orange County schools, there were 78 terroristic threats reported – 36 for Beaumont ISD, 20 for Nederland ISD, and 22 for Port Arthur ISD. 

Lumberton ISD has also had its share of terroristic threats over the past several years: In March 2018, a 13-year-old Lumberton Middle School student was charged with making a terroristic threat. In February 2022, police and a pair of bomb-sniffing dogs were called to the high school following a bomb threat written on the walls of a restroom. In September 2022, a middle school student was taken into custody after police reported he sent a message to another student on SnapChat about bringing a gun to school..

In 2022-2023, Lumberton ISD reported five threats, and only two this school year, according to Holly Feller, director of Communications and Community Partnerships at LISD. 

In March 2023, Texas Appleseed, a nonprofit public interest justice center, released a report entitled, “School Safety and Threat Assessment: Assessing the Student Beyond the Threat,” by Andrew R. Hairston, J.D., director of Education Justice Project and Jessi Stafford, MGPS, research analyst. According to the report, for the 2020-2021 school year, TEA data showed that, out of the school districts that responded to the survey, most school districts (95.34%) reported the implementation of a Safe and Supportive School Program (SSSP) compliant with Senate Bill 11 statutory requirements, and 4.66% reported no implementation. 

As for threat assessment counts, Texas school districts reported a total of 37,007 threats, which includes assault, cyberbullying, disturbance, fighting, harassment of student and teacher, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, teen dating violence, terroristic, use or possession of a weapon and verbal threats. 

Also noted in the report, West Hardin County CISD had the highest rate of threat assessed in the Region 5 Education Service District. The district reported 24 threats (5 per 100 students) assessed and only one was referred to law enforcement. 

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 67% of public schools reported having at least one violent incident in 2021-2022. 

“These critically important data reveal some of the challenges public schools face in keeping the focus on teaching and learning, such as violence, drug use and bullying,” said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. “At the same time, we gain insights into ways public schools are stepping up with supports beyond academics, such as the finding that nine in 10 public schools increased social and emotional supports for students.” 

More than 850,000 violent incidents were recorded in public schools in 2021- 2022. 

With Beaumont ISD addressing sometimes more than one threat a day – at the same time – Superintendent Allen is grateful for community support in investigating danger as it comes up. 

“I am proud of how our district law enforcement responds and I am grateful for the support of surrounding law enforcement agencies who assist in ensuring the safety of our students and employees,” Allen said.