The recent increase in hoax threats have created a major disruption to the learning environment for our students. This is unacceptable. Every student and staff member deserves to feel safe while at school.  

I am grateful to our law enforcement partners for actively investigating every reported threat and for holding those responsible accountable. The time involved to conduct these investigations is extensive and diverts time and resources away from critical needs in our community. 

Families need to know when students engage in these behaviors, it can alter the course of your student's school career with serious consequences. These investigations often involve parents interviews and home searches, including seizure of personal property like phones and laptops.

OKC Police shared the information below regarding the severity of these actions. 

“We are actively investigating multiple threats made towards our local schools this year. There have been 65 school threats in the Oklahoma City metro area since the beginning of the school year, 33 occurred within the past week. Some individuals have been identified, and charges for Terrorism Hoax and Threatening Acts of Violence (felonies) are being submitted to the District Attorney's office. Several more threats are still being actively investigated.

Parents, please have important conversations with your children about the seriousness of these offenses. All threats are taken seriously even if a person has no intention of carrying out the act of violence. A full investigation will include an application for search warrants to conduct searches of residences, seizing any weapons that may be accessible to the person, and seizing any electronic device that may have been used to make the threat. The penalty for a person convicted of a terrorism hoax or threatening acts of violence is a prison sentence of up to 10 years per charge and applicable reimbursement costs for the investigation.

These threats not only disrupt learning but also take up critical resources that should be focused on keeping our community safe. We’re committed to protecting our schools and will continue to pursue every lead.

Thank you for your support.”

I urge our families to take action by closely monitoring their child's online activity, as even jokes can lead to serious repercussions. Families can learn more about how to monitor students’ online activity by visiting https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/online-safety.

Dr. Jamie C. Polk, OKCPS Superintendent

El reciente aumento de amenazas falsas ha creado una interrupción importante en el entorno de aprendizaje de nuestros estudiantes. Esto es inaceptable. Cada estudiante y miembro del personal merece sentirse seguro en la escuela.  

Agradezco a nuestros socios de la policía local por investigar activamente cada amenaza reportada y por responsabilizar a los responsables. El tiempo necesario para realizar estas investigaciones es extenso y desvía tiempo y recursos de las necesidades críticas de nuestra comunidad.

Las familias necesitan saber que cuando los estudiantes participan en estas amenazas falsas, alteran el curso escolar de los demás estudiantes y esto tiene graves consecuencias. Estas investigaciones a menudo implican entrevistas a los padres y revisiones en el hogar y el confiscamiento de artículos personales como teléfonos y computadoras portátiles.