FBI says threats against schools increased to 60% across the nation in 2022

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Today’s school systems face security risks and threats such as acts of targeted violence and bomb threats. According to the FBI, in 2022 almost 6000 school threats were reported to the FBI in the U.S., a 60% increase from the year 2021.

A campaign was launched by El Paso law enforcement agencies to stop the threats. There are in total ten digital billboards that show the new PSA campaign asking the public to “Stop Threats to Our Schools, Before We Respond.”

Students throughout the country have used social media to threaten public schools, resulting in school closures, lockdowns, and other disruptions.

According to the Washington Post, these types of threats seem to spike in the aftermath of school shootings.

it’s important for parents to talk to their children about the consequences of saying anything on social media that could be seen as a threat to a school.

According to the FBI, threatening a school on social media is a federal crime, which could carry a penalty of up to five years in prison