While these threats were determined to be noncredible, they disrupted the school day, negatively impacted attendance and affected community members’ trust with the district, Superintendent Paul Norton said in an interview with Community Impact.
The LTISD incidents accompanied a surge of threats across 12 Austin-area school districts that resulted in multiple students being arrested and charged with felonies.
“I don't recall having a time like this that we've had to deal with so many threats in a relatively short amount of time,” said Marco Alvarado, LTISD executive director of communications and community relations. “It’s a huge strain on resources.”
What happened
The district responded to nine threats over 15 school days at Rough Hollow and Serene Hills elementaries, Hudson Bend and Bee Cave middle schools, and Lake Travis High School, Alvarado said.
On Sept. 16, Hudson Bend Middle School went into a hold after the campus received a threatening phone call, Norton said. During a hold, instruction continues, but students do not leave their classrooms or current locations.
Students were placed in a hold again Sept. 18 after the campus received a second threat. The district requested assistance for local police, fire and rescue departments, and temporarily blocked entrances to the campus, Norton said.
On Sept. 24, an LTHS student received a threatening text that was quickly determined to be noncredible, Norton said. Although the threat did not require students to go into a hold, it significantly disrupted the school day, he said.
A 16-year-old male residing in Harris County was arrested and charged with terroristic threat in relation to the incident Oct. 2. The LTISD Police Department worked with local police in the Houston area to make the arrest, Norton said.
A student at Bee Cave Middle School made a threat on Snapchat on Sept. 27, according to district information. The student was quickly identified, arrested and charged with terroristic threat Oct. 1.
The impact
The recent threats had a “significant impact on the district,” Norton said.
Students and teachers lost instructional time during a hold as they could not move to their next class. After a hold is lifted, administration must work to adjust a campus’s bell schedule, meal times and transportation services.
During the day of the threats, there was a significant drop in attendance at those campuses. Many parents picked up their children once the hold was lifted, and some parents allowed their high school students to leave campus. Some students did not return to school for several days in light of a threat, he said.
These threats can also negatively impact the community’s trust with LTISD, Norton said.
“We just want our parents to trust us and trust the process; trust the people within the district and give us a chance to go through our processes,” Norton said.
Put in perspective
LTHS senior Tatum Ott said the recent threats impacted her and other students.
“It affects the other students' mental health too because it's scary,” Ott said. “It makes you question if you're safe."
Ott, who wants to pursue a career in law enforcement, was recently selected to serve as a teen ambassador on the Texas School Safety Center’s Youth Advisory Board. She is currently working on a project to improve disciplinary outcomes at LTHS by addressing students’ mental health needs.
“If [school is] safe and it's welcoming, then I feel like this will make it a more fun place to be, and [there] won't be as many threats as usual,” Ott said.
The approach
Upon receiving a threat, district police officers and administration evaluate whether it is legitimate and determine the appropriate response, such as a hold or a lockdown. These individuals must also collectively agree when to lift a hold or lockdown.
The district would not evacuate a campus unless there was a known threat inside the building and was certain there were no threats outside of the school.
“The safest place for our kids and our staff is inside the building, and we will only leave that safe place if there's a reason to leave,” Norton said.
The district initially notifies parents of a threat through a text message and email that includes the district’s standard response protocol. Once the situation has been resolved, principals will send an email summarizing the incident and any impacts on the following instructional day.
LTISD asks that parents not call or come to campus amid a threat as it detracts resources from the district’s response, Norton said. Students are also discouraged from using their cellphones during emergency situations, he said.
“We're going to make sure every child is safe, and as soon as we have information, we're going to get that information to you,” Norton said.
In case you missed it
LTISD has made several security upgrades in recent school years, including installing secure entry vestibules at all campuses and a security checkpoint for drivers at LTHS. Additionally, the district hired additional police officers to cover each of its 11 campuses—a recent requirement under House Bill 3.
To comply with Senate Bill 838, LTISD has proposed spending $974,000 to install panic buttons on staff members’ badges by January. SB 838, also known as Alyssa’s Law, requires districts to have silent panic alert devices in every classroom.
Ahead of the 89th legislative session, Norton said he would like state lawmakers to increase funding for safety and security measures, and make it a more serious criminal offense to make threats toward schools.
