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Message from WCPSS Board Chair Lindsay Mahaffey and Superintendent Catty Moore
Wake County Public School System Families,
This has been a very trying week for students, staff and families at some of our schools.
Many schools in our community were the targets of multiple threats communicated via social media. These events, combined with a firearm found in the possession of a student at one school, have created many challenges for us all.
When the actions of a few disrupt the safety and well-being of our entire community, it comes at quite a cost.
This week several schools were in lockdown, we had to summon law enforcement numerous times, and two schools were forced to dismiss early. Such incidents disrupt learning, create undue stress for families, burden emergency responders and law enforcement and bring additional costs to our taxpayers.
If we want to keep our community healthy and thriving, this simply cannot continue.
We want to thank the students, staff, families, our security team and local law enforcement for their roles in keeping our schools safe and orderly while dealing with these senseless acts and threats. This type of collaboration and coordination is invaluable.
Yet we need more to happen. Much more. To ensure that our families feel safe sending their students to our schools, we must all work together.
We are calling on our community to partner with us to solve this problem. We will be looking at ways to work with local law enforcement agencies to devise better safety measures and with state lawmakers to see how we can strengthen laws that address perpetrators of these criminal acts.
In the meantime, regardless of whether you are a student, teacher, staff member, parent, grandparent, or a citizen with no direct ties to our schools, it is imperative to acknowledge that this problem belongs to all of us.
We ask your support in the following ways:
Remind young people that bringing a weapon to school regardless of intent or making a threat against a school regardless of whether or not it’s a hoax will result in dire consequences. Not only suspension, but prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
Talk to your students about why such acts are criminal, and how committing them has the potential to destroy their lives.
Secure your firearms. Always keep your guns locked in a gun safe that cannot be easily broken into or taken away.
We ask private citizens, businesses, community organizations and communities of faith to seek ways to support local schools.
We implore lawmakers to continue to collaborate around bolstering safety in our schools and communities.
Report information about situations that cause concern at schools so that we can respond quickly and appropriately to protect their safety. Students, parents and citizens can report safety concerns to our anonymous tip line, (919) 856-1911.
There are no easy answers. We know this. But if we work together, we can take on this critical challenge and make positive change. So let’s do this.
While it's top of mind for everyone, we want to remind you about what you can expect during a school lockdown.
Our school system has set emergency plans for each school and administrative site. In addition, each school has an Emergency Response Team that focuses on prevention and reaction to incidents and a Crisis Response Team that supports students and staff after an incident.
If there is a potential threat or unsafe situation to a school, the school may "go on lockdown" to protect students, staff, and visitors.
If a school goes into a "code red" lockdown, students are moved into safe areas, and all interior doors will be locked.
If a school goes into a "code yellow" lockdown, all outdoor activities will stop, and students will move into the building. We will lock outer doors and prohibit movement between buildings, but all other activities will continue.
A "code green" will be declared when the incident passes, ending the lockdown.
The school, in conjunction with law enforcement and WCPSS security, makes these decisions based on the specific situation at the school. Each situation is different; therefore, the decisions related to a lockdown will vary depending on the situation.
In every lockdown, the priority is always and only the safety of the students and staff in the building.
The goal is to communicate the status of the lockdown and necessary instructions to parents as quickly as possible. To prioritize safety, a debrief of the day's event will come after the event has concluded.
We are so grateful for all the support our entire community has provided this week. Thank you for your commitment to improving safety for our schools and communities. With all of us working together, we will not give into fear and intimidation. We will not let those who would commit acts or threats of violence win.
We will succeed in continuing to build and maintain one of the most successful public school districts in one of the best places to live in the nation.
School board needs to get their priorities straight.
What do you want to school board to do, inspect all homes to make sure guns are locked up? Restrict social media for teens, oh right these are things parents should be doing! The school board should be concentrating on educating our kids and not be worrying about lockdowns and intruder drills. This is way beyond the school board and a much bigger issue and so incredibly messed up! I agree the kids should be expelled and not suspended but I doubt this will make a difference to the parents in question.
What do you want to school board to do, inspect all homes to make sure guns are locked up? Restrict social media for teens, oh right these are things parents should be doing! The school board should be concentrating on educating our kids and not be worrying about lockdowns and intruder drills. This is way beyond the school board and a much bigger issue and so incredibly messed up! I agree the kids should be expelled and not suspended but I doubt this will make a difference to the parents in question.
The school board hasn't concentrated on educating kids since I've lived in Wake County, so having more discussions about security in schools should fit in just fine. I agree completely the root cause of these issues exists at home, but that doesn't mean the school system shouldn't be making efforts to make the schools more secure.
By law in NC any student 14 or older who is determined to be a threat to other students can be expelled. I'm not sure if this actually happens or not in WCPSS, but it would be up to the school board to approve the policies that would do so locally.
The school board hasn't concentrated on educating kids since I've lived in Wake County, so having more discussions about security in schools should fit in just fine. I agree completely the root cause of these issues exists at home, but that doesn't mean the school system shouldn't be making efforts to make the schools more secure.
By law in NC any student 14 or older who is determined to be a threat to other students can be expelled. I'm not sure if this actually happens or not in WCPSS, but it would be up to the school board to approve the policies that would do so locally.
Wake County’s board chair and superintendent said they are looking at ways to work with law enforcement agencies to devise better safety measures. They also said they're working with state lawmakers to try and strengthen laws that address perpetrators.
Parents have been asked to secure their firearms and have a serious talk with their children.
The Wake County Sheriff’s Office is also encouraging parents to monitor their children's social media activity. The Board of Education is set to address school safety and security at its meeting Tuesday.
Wake County’s board chair and superintendent said they are looking at ways to work with law enforcement agencies to devise better safety measures. They also said they're working with state lawmakers to try and strengthen laws that address perpetrators.
Parents have been asked to secure their firearms and have a serious talk with their children.
The Wake County Sheriff’s Office is also encouraging parents to monitor their children's social media activity. The Board of Education is set to address school safety and security at its meeting Tuesday.
For one, they don't like school resource officers. I'm guessing that law enforcement agencies would be happy to provide law enforcement at all schools.
As for "working to try and strengthen the laws that address perpetrators", they have the ability to expel these students, but don't. Is that not the case? If so, why do they need the state's help?
We know they love to blame the state for everything....
For one, they don't like school resource officers. I'm guessing that law enforcement agencies would be happy to provide law enforcement at all schools.
As for "working to try and strengthen the laws that address perpetrators", they have the ability to expel these students, but don't. Is that not the case? If so, why do they need the state's help?
We know they love to blame the state for everything....
I do not want my kids to go to school in a prison environment, so you and I are not going to agree here. The State and most definitely the Federal government bear responsibility for allowing this issue get worse and worse in schools over the years and not do a damn thing to stop it. Once again as the article highlights parents need to wake up and parent their kids. Having police in the schools would not have stopped the 6 lockdowns do to social media threats, that is all on parents to monitor what their kids are doing and maybe on social media sites for allowing the content. Schools are not responsible for monitoring what your kid does on social media.
I do not want my kids to go to school in a prison environment, so you and I are not going to agree here. The State and most definitely the Federal government bear responsibility for allowing this issue get worse and worse in schools over the years and not do a damn thing to stop it. Once again as the article highlights parents need to wake up and parent their kids. Having police in the schools would not have stopped the 6 lockdowns do to social media threats, that is all on parents to monitor what their kids are doing and maybe on social media sites for allowing the content. Schools are not responsible for monitoring what your kid does on social media.
Just too logical, you are....
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The school board should be concentrating on educating our kids and not be worrying about lockdowns and intruder drills. This is way beyond the school board and a much bigger issue and so incredibly messed up! I agree the kids should be expelled and not suspended but I doubt this will make a difference to the parents in question.
