Bryant students joining others across US finding themselves in handcuffs after making school threats

BRYANT, Ark. – When they are 10 and 11 years old, most children in school are learning the basics of fractions, decimals and place values. For five students in Bryant, though, fifth grade isn’t another year of adolescence but rather a time when they are facing adult problems with real consequences.

The five students were arrested Friday for making a threat against Parkway Elementary. Ever since those arrests, social media pages have been flooded with comments about their ages and the crimes they are accused of committing.

All five students are between the ages of 10 and 11 years old and are now facing charges of communicating a false alarm, terroristic threatening, harassing communications, and threatening to commit acts of mass violence on school property.

Those charges may sound serious, but John DiPippa, dean emeritus at Bowen School of Law, said the response by local school officials and police is a sign of the times.

“I think everybody agrees that given the current climate, even if (it’s) an elementary school kid who makes a threat about shooting up a school, a school ought to be taken seriously and there ought to be some consequences,” DiPippa said.

Some people may be shocked about elementary students facing charges, but these arrests aren’t as uncommon as most may think.

According to the Administrative Office of the Courts, in the 2023-2024 school year there were 55 similar charges filed against minors in central Arkansas. The year before there were 44, and in 2021 there were 29 charges filed.

“I think it’s a sign of the times that schools and police departments want to take these things seriously and want to get ahead,” DiPippa said.

These arrests seem to be a part of a push being made across the country. Just this week, a 10-year-old was arrested in Kerrville, Texas, for making a threat to their school.

There have been charges filed in St. Louis, Virginia, and Houston. In Florida, the Volusia County Sheriff is posting perp walks and photos of minors online. One student shown was just 11 years old.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin released a statement to Working 4 You in regards to the elementary students arrested in Bryant.

“It is uncommon for children to be arrested and charged at such a young age, but I think the gravity of these students’ actions require law enforcement officials to take this seriously,” Griffin wrote. “Posting threats against schools online isn’t a joke.”

That sentiment echoes the one shared by officials with the Bryant Police Department at the time of the arrests when authorities warned that there are significant consequences for making threats, even if students claim they are joking.

“It’s essential for everyone to understand that making threats is not just disruptive but also illegal and can lead to serious legal consequences,” the department stated in a social media post . “Once again we are strongly encouraging parents to talk to their children about the seriousness of making threats. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining a safe educational environment.”

If convicted as a juvenile, the five Bryant students could face electronic monitoring, house arrest or a sentence in juvenile detention.

According to the Bryant School District Elementary handbook, students who make threats of mass violence such as bomb threats or shootings could face a possible 10-day suspension with a recommendation for expulsion for the remainder of the school year and/or following semester or permanently.

As of Wednesday, there has been no new information on the investigation or case against the students released by the school district. Due to the age of the students and the fact that they are being tried as juveniles, court records for the case are not publicly available.

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