Anchorage School District cautions parents to not share unverified threats on social media

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After a social media threat incident gave a scare to families with students who attend Bartlett High School, the Anchorage School District has sent a note to families in the district, imploring them to not share potential threats online.

The threat was perceived to pertain to Bartlett, but may have originated from out of state and may have related to a different school. It also may have been a false threat. Whichever the case, it caused the principal of Bartlett to call for more safety officer presence on Monday.

“In recent weeks, school districts across the country, including the Anchorage School District (ASD), have faced an alarming number of false threats that have disrupted school operations and caused unnecessary fear within our communities. ASD and our partners in local law enforcement are committed to ensuring the safety of students and staff, and we take all threats seriously. We are urging parents and students to be vigilant and mindful of how they handle potential threats,” the school district wrote to parents.

If you come across a potential threat, please include the following information when you report it to your school or the Anchorage Police Department, the district said:

  • Identify the social media platform where the threat was posted.
  • Record the date, time, and account name.
  • Capture screenshots if available and note any witnesses.
  • Detail the date of the alleged threat, the nature of the threat, and any specific schools or individuals mentioned.

The school district asked people to not repost the threat-related content on social media but to notify authorities so they can see if the threat has credibility.

How to Report Threats:

  • Contact APD immediately for urgent or imminent threats by calling 9-1-1.
  • Use STOPiT, the district’s anonymous reporting tool.
  • Students and parents are encouraged to report concerns to their teachers or principals.

“In order to effectively utilize school district and law enforcement resources, we ask parents to monitor their children’s social media accounts to ensure that students report concerns directly to the school or to law enforcement and not repost them on social media or share with classmates,” the district’s letter to parents stated.

Parents were also encouraged to have ongoing conversations with their children about responsible use of social media, including:

  • The importance of not sharing or reposting unverified information.
  • Reporting any concerning content directly to adults, school officials, or law enforcement.
  • Understanding that threats, even those made in jest, are serious and can have severe legal consequences.

14 COMMENTS

  1. My kids go to school at a middle school. The faculty never answers their emails and trying to get a hold of someone? With the School Board assembly instructing school employees to hide different aspects of our kids from parents, you think I trust them to do the right thing at school? You bet I am going to let other parents know.

    School administrators created this distrust, now they want to minimize the problems they create?

  2. “ verified/Unverified” As in the verification of the Biden laptop by 56 high security personnel “Russian hoax “?
    I’m asking for a friend.

  3. Share share share. All these threats are intended to make people fearful. If people are not homeschooling their students by now, I ask “why not?”

  4. That guy that does a great impersonation of President Trump made a Donny Cash song (using a Johnny Cash song). It is a good reminder that we need to fight fight fight.

    ‘https://x.com/Shawn_Farash/status/1835010359289090312

  5. School board hadn’t done much to earn parents trust.

    If this is what they want, they need to start earning this consideration. Yesterday.

  6. Ducan says it all and says it best:
    .
    “With the School Board assembly instructing school employees to hide different aspects of our kids from parents, you think I trust them to do the right thing at school?”
    .
    The answer is a resounding NO.
    .
    To Anchorage’s education industry officials we offer, lovingly so as not to have our post deleted: to bloody hell with you and your “…not sharing or reposting unverified information.”,
    .
    stick with what you do best, brainwashing, drugging, grooming, mutilating children, and, above all, keeping your place as one of the most overpriced, corrupt, underperforming education rackets in America.

  7. Unfortunately for ASD, they lost the trust of most parents a long time ago. As mentioned by others, the school board actively tells teachers to hide info from parents, I have heard numerous parents talk about issues with bullying and nothing ever happens.
    My first hand account happened when my kids were in 2nd and K, a 1st grader brought a handgun to school in his backpack and it was discovered early in the morning. ASD nor the school ever communicated what the consequences to the student were. I don’t need details, like an ID or anything, but was the student suspended or expelled? No Idea

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