Reported threats against Pennsylvania schools spiked more than 50% this school year compared to the same time in 2023, per data from the state attorney general.
Why it matters: The threats of bombs, shooters and other dangers — many of which were false — disrupt learning and stir community-wide anxiety about school safety.
The big picture: Most false claims came from "far beyond their communities" and were amplified on social media by people who unwittingly reshared the posts, state officials said in a news release .
- Perpetrators often shared vague threats on platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, hoping to go viral and cause panic among staff and students, Attorney General Michelle Henry says.
- Pennsylvania officials say they've charged several young people with making false threats that interrupted school days.
What they're saying: Even though most threats nationwide turn out to be false alarms, ignoring them simply isn't an option for law enforcement.
- "Not taking it seriously even one time and it turns out to be truly a bomb, that's just not going to be satisfactory to the community," Lauren Shapiro, an associate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told Axios.
- False claims divert law enforcement's attention from credible threats and drain police resources, Pennsylvania State Police. Col. Christopher Paris says.
Case in point: A single threat can cost between $25,000 and $40,000 to investigate, Shapiro says.
- Investigations into anonymous school threats can take between one and four years. The probe can then be followed by legal prosecution, which adds additional costs for a school district or city.
Zoom in: The Philadelphia School District has seen an 80% increase in threats this year from the same period last year, spokesperson Monique Braxton tells Axios. There have been more than 90 threats so far this school year.
Flashback: The Pennsylvania AG's school safety reporting tip channel, Safe2Say Something , received more than 32,000 tips during the 2023-24 school year.
- Tips have led to the seizures of more than 125 weapons since the program launched in 2019, per the AG's office.
Threat level: False reports traumatize students who may already feel uneasy in the classrooms because of several high-profile school shootings over the years, Henry says.
- Tracking perpetrators has also become an increasingly difficult technological game of cat-and-mouse, officials say, since many people can use websites to create and disguise fake threats.
What to watch: State officials outlined telltale signs of potential false threats.
- They're usually vague and contain generic photos, shared by social media bots or unfamiliar parties living out of the state or country.
- To submit an anonymous tip about a safety threat, visit www.safe2saypa.org or call 911 for immediate emergencies.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to add data from the Philadelphia School District.
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