State Police, Department of Education address recent threats at schools across Kentucky

Staff report

In the wake of a rash of school threats across the Commonwealth, Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky Department of Education released statements Thursday reassuring Kentuckians or their commitment to school safety.

In the past week, districts in across the state have received threats from underage students leading to several arrests. Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. said troopers are working closely with school officials to investigate each occurance.

“Kentucky State Police will continue to work with school resource officers, local law enforcement and school administrators to ensure the safety of all students,” said Burnett. “As a trooper and a father who has children in our school system, I can assure you that we will take any threat seriously and make arrests where possible.”

Kentucky Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher said the department has no greater responsibility than the safety of students, having been entrusted by parents.

“While we are concerned about the amount of time our students are missing due to these hoaxes, our primary concern is the safety and well-being of the students and staff members that are in our schools every day across Kentucky,”Fletcher said. “We ask our families to talk with their students about the very real and serious consequences that can happen if they call in a threat against another student or their school. A threat like this can result in a student facing suspension, expulsion and/or alternative placements, in addition to the consequences from our justice system.”

The Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky Department of Education are urging parents to have a conversation with their children about the dangers and consequences of posting threatening messages on social media or online. Families should also speak with their children about reporting any concerning information they may come across on social media or online to an adult.

Ensuring that any information reported is accurate and truthful is crucial, as false reports can lead to unnecessary fear and confusion. However, KSP emphasizes that this should not discourage anyone from reporting potential crimes or threats.

Kentucky Revised Statute 508 states threats of violence directed toward a school are Terroristic Threatening 1st Degree, which is a Class C Felony. Furthermore, a Class C Felony is a serious crime that can carry a punishment of up to 5 to 10 years in prison.

On Aug. 28, the Kentucky Office of the State School Security Marshal released the annual School Safety Risk Assessment Report, which shows 99.81% of Kentucky’s schools are following statutory safety requirements. The report shows that 1,325 schools are in compliance with the School Safety and Resiliency Act.

Since Gov. Andy Beshear signed House Bill 63 in 2022, every Kentucky public school is required to employ a school resource officer (SRO) and the number of SROs assigned to school campuses has increased to 790. This is a 28% increase over the last year and a 61% increase since the bill was signed into law.

Local and state law enforcement agencies and the SROs have responded responsibly to recent threats and work to keep Kentucky’s students and staff safe.

Kentucky Department of Education

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