‘We need this to stop’: School threat hoaxes increase across Houston area

HOUSTON – In recent weeks, school districts across the Houston area have been grappling with a surge in school threat hoaxes, diverting resources and attention from real emergencies. These incidents, often dismissed as pranks or jokes, lead to serious consequences.

Last week alone, Klein Independent School District responded to three separate hoaxes, one of which led to the arrest of one student.

“This stuff isn’t funny. It’s not a joke,” Klein ISD Chief Marlon Runnels stated. “You can get felony charges, and you will be expelled from school.”

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Runnels highlighted the extensive efforts required to investigate each threat, noting that these hoaxes consume valuable man-hours and resources.

For each incident, Klein ISD Police Department thoroughly investigated it to ensure it was in fact a hoax. Runnels describes the district getting a tip Thursday night of a possible threat by Friday morning the matter was resolved.

“We spend a lot of man hours chasing these leads down. Again, we take them very seriously,” Runnels said. “We look at every bit of information that we have and try to identify potential suspects.”

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Such investigations sometimes involve subpoenaing social media platforms to trace the source.

The increase in hoaxes often follows real tragedies, as seen in recent events in Georgia. Runnels pointed out that there appears to be a correlation between high-profile incidents and a rise in online threats.

“It’s unfortunate that it happens, but when you’re dealing with kids, oftentimes kids make poor decisions,” Runnels said.

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The repercussions of these hoaxes are severe.

In Cleveland Independent School District, four students were arrested for faking a school threat, prompting Superintendent Stephen McCanless to issue a public service announcement urging students to focus on their education and end the behavior.

“We need this to stop,” McCanless asserted.

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Often when these investigations conclude, Runnels says the students rarely realize the gravity of the offense.

“The student or their friends or someone close to this situation will say, ‘I thought it was a joke,’” Runnels said. “I didn’t realize that you guys were actually going to come to someone’s home in the middle of the night and investigate these matters.”

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School district response to school threat hoaxes

KPRC 2′s Rilwan Balogun reached out to all of the school districts in our area. Here’s how they responded in order of their response:

CLEVELAND ISD

“Yes, this happened to us all throughout the week last week. Our district police worked with local authorities to investigate several threats and made a number of student arrests. I’ve reached out to our chief of police for the exact number - I’ll let you know what I hear back. These threats stemmed from middle school and high school students making social media posts and accounts that either implied or directly threatened a shooting on one of our campuses.

Each of these threats was taken very seriously. As I mentioned, our district PD worked closely with local authorities (city and county police, city fire department, Constable’s office) to investigate these threats and increase law enforcement presence on our threatened campuses. The students involved in creating the threats were disciplined accordingly, resulting in arrest and expulsion from the district.”

WALLER ISD

“We are aware of the social media hoax and our families have heard the rumors as well. There is no evidence of a threat to any Waller ISD school. We have taken a proactive approach by keeping our families informed. Our communications are available on our website here. All of our campuses have full-time Waller or Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies assigned to them. In addition, we want to thank several of our local law enforcement agencies for providing an additional security presence to help calm concerns.

9.15.24 - SCHOOL SAFETY UPDATE

Waller ISD (WISD) officials have continued to receive tips containing threats of school violence and are still working in close collaboration with law enforcement to investigate all information. There continues to be no evidence of an active threat to our schools. Any individual with specific information is asked to contact an administrator, law enforcement, or report it via CrisisGo. Parents and guardians are encouraged to check their child’s phone for any detailed information that may be reported and tracked. There will continue to be an increase in security presence in and around WISD campuses. WISD takes any threat to students and staff seriously and will thoroughly investigate all reports. Threats of school violence are punishable in alignment with the student code of conduct and the law. WISD will pursue disciplinary action appropriately for any individual involved. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s principal or our school safety team.”

LAMAR CISD

“Thank you for reaching out regarding your story on the recent social media threats impacting schools locally and nationwide.

Yes, our district did experience similar instances last week that appeared to be part of a broader social media hoax. While these threats were ultimately determined to be non-credible, we take every threat seriously to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

Upon receiving the threats, we immediately involved our district police department and local law enforcement agencies to investigate and assess any potential risks. We also increased security measures on our campuses, communicated transparently with parents and staff, and reinforced our safety protocols with students.

These types of threats, whether credible or not, have a profound impact on our school system. They divert valuable resources and attention away from our primary mission of educating students. Law enforcement officers, school administrators, teachers, and support staff must shift their focus to address the situation, which can cause significant disruptions to the school day.

Moreover, such threats create unnecessary anxiety and fear among students, parents, and staff. They can erode the sense of safety and trust within our school communities, affecting the emotional well-being of everyone involved. The ripple effects extend beyond the immediate disruption, impacting student learning and the overall school climate.

We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students and staff. We encourage anyone with information about such threats to come forward and remind the community that making threats against schools is a serious crime with severe legal consequences.

Thank you for bringing attention to this important issue. It’s important for the community to understand the significant impact these hoaxes have on everyone involved. If you require further information or would like to discuss this matter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am including some quotes from our superintendent, Dr. Roosevelt Nivens, below:

‘We want to make it absolutely clear that making threats against our schools is a serious crime, and individuals responsible for such actions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This is not a game; it’s an unacceptable act that has real and lasting consequences for the emotional well-being of our students, parents, and staff.

‘These types of threats, whether real or fabricated, have a profound and unsettling impact on our entire school community. For parents, hearing about a potential threat against their child’s school is nothing short of terrifying. It disrupts their sense of security and peace of mind, leading to heightened anxiety and fear for their children’s safety. Small children, who may not fully comprehend the situation, can feel scared and confused by the increased security measures and the concern they sense from the adults around them.’

‘Playing upon these fears is not just irresponsible—it is deeply harmful. It forces parents to grapple with the unimaginable, creates unnecessary panic, and distracts from the nurturing educational environment we strive to provide. The emotional toll on families is great. Parents entrust us with their most precious treasures—their children—and threats like these shake that trust and create an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.’”

ALIEF ISD

“Alief ISD received several social media hoax last week. Our campus administrators followed our protocol to report and investigate all threats received. These investigations hindered daily activities by pulling staff away from their daily duties. These hoax’s impacts a number of employees who have to stop their daily routines to assist with investigations.”

TEXAS CITY ISD

“We were not the victim to a hoax last week. However, since an area school district had threats, people were questioning threats at one of our schools, so we did message families, and we did been up security last Monday to ease minds of students and parents.”

It does require more resources, but we tend to err on the side of caution than not act at all.

NEW CANEY ISD

“Hello Rilwan,

There have not been any weapons found in any of our schools. Our police department has investigated social media posts regarding alleged threats. No threats have been substantiated.

New Caney ISD takes all concerns related to the safety and security of our students and staff very seriously. We encourage parents to share with their students that anyone found to be making threats, intentionally making false reports, or starting rumors may face severe legal and/or disciplinary consequences. We encourage students, staff, and the public to report any concerns regarding school safety directly to school administration or law enforcement. Reports can be made directly to school officials or through the district’s Safe School Reporting Program accessible on all school websites.”

Spring Branch ISD

In recent days, there have been numerous cases of threats against schools and districts in the Houston area and across the nation, including Spring Branch ISD. These are considered terroristic threats, and they are not jokes. They are very serious matters which endanger the lives of others, waste valuable resources and could potentially cause mass panic in our communities.

Please take this opportunity to talk with your child and remind them that making a threat against a district, school or individual is a felony charge and will not be tolerated in Spring Branch ISD.

As stated in the Texas Penal Code, a terroristic threat that places the public in fear of serious bodily injury is a Third-Degree Felony. A false alarm or report is a State Jail Felony. Spring Branch ISD and the SBISD Police Department will prosecute any individual who threatens the safety of our students, staff or schools to the fullest extent of the law. A conviction for a third-degree felony in Texas could result in up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Students charged with making these types of threats will be disciplined in accordance with our Student Code of Conduct and to the highest extent of the law and our own SBISD rules and regulations. This could include expulsion from SBISD, placement in the district’s Alternative Education Program (DAEP), limited or no use of district technology or personal cell phone, limited to no access to campus or district events and/or extracurricular activities and/or requirement to use a clear backpack.

Parents, please be aware that we will hold you responsible for the actions of your child, should they threaten the safety of our students, staff or schools. We reserve the right to exclude you from any SBISD campus, or school or district activities. We will also take legal action where possible.

Also, as a reminder, no weapons of any kind are allowed on the premises of any SBISD campus or facility. Do not allow your child to bring anything to school that is a weapon or gives the appearance of being a weapon, even if it is a toy. Airsofts, pellet guns, BB guns and water guns are not allowed.

Safety and security is everyone’s responsibility. Take this opportunity to talk with your child not only about the severe consequences of making threats, but also about the important role they play in school safety and encourage them to follow our “See Something-Say Something” protocol.

Use the Anonymous Reporting link that is prominent on every campus website to share a concern, or information we need to know, or call the SBISD Police Department at 713-984-9805.

Your children’s safety, security and well-being will always be our highest priority.