Police and school district leaders in suburban Naperville and Aurora are warning parents and community members to report, and not repost, threats directed at schools they may see on social media amid a regional and nationwide rise in such threats.
The letter, issued by the Chief of Police in both cities, the DuPage County and Will County State’s Attorney and the superintendents of Naperville School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204, encouraged starting an open dialogue with children on the severity of the threats.
“Parents, please discuss the topic of school threats with your child in an age-appropriate way and pledge as a family to both report threats to the proper authorities and refrain from sharing threats and rumors with others,” the statement said in part.
The letter adds that children should understand there is no such thing as “joking” about threats against a school or people.
“As the agencies responsible for the safety of our schools, Aurora and Naperville Police Departments will thoroughly investigate any threats, the DuPage and Will County State’s Attorney’s Offices will aggressively pursue legal action against perpetrators, and School Districts 203 and 204 will invoke severe discipline, up to and including expulsion,” the statement said.
Additionally, officials implored parents to refrain from spreading unsubstantiated rumors found on social media, which the statement said “has the potential to cause great confusion and anxiety.”
“Instead, report any threat to school administrators and law enforcement and trust that our agencies are doing everything in our power to keep our students, staff, and school communities safe and informed,” the statement said.
The letter comes amid numerous reports of threats directed at schools both locally and nationally, with arrests made in connection to threats in Minooka and Joliet.
“We are hopeful that by working together, we can reduce the frequency of threats against our schools, calm general anxiety about school safety, and refocus community dialogue on more positive topics, like the growth and education of our children,” the statement said.