Recent Social Media Threats to Schools

September 25th, 2024

There is a recent trend of disturbing and upsetting threats of violence being made on social media (largely via Instagram) toward schools in the Howard County region, in Maryland, and nationwide. To date, those threats have been found to be non-credible and appear to be non-local in origin.

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) takes all threats seriously, and responds to any threat with the appropriate level of urgency. Additionally, HCPSS is in regular, close contact with the Howard County Police Department, as well as the Maryland Center for School Safety.

If you or your child sees any threat on social media, report that post immediately to your school administrator and through the social media platform’s reporting structure. After reporting, parents, students and staff should refrain from reposting or sharing that information on social media, which only causes more panic and fear, as well as disruption to the learning environment.

HCPSS is seeing some copycat behaviors from our students. Parents and guardians are encouraged to model healthy and appropriate use of social media, and closely monitor your child’s social media accounts. Talk with your children about problematic use of technology, and stress the importance and consequences of posting/sharing any threatening messages. Remind your children that HCPSS does not tolerate threats of any kind and will pursue disciplinary actions and legal consequences, as appropriate.

The safety of our students, staff and community is our highest priority. At any time, students who require support are encouraged to connect with a counselor or other student services staff at their school. HCPSS additionally has a number of resources for families online, including:

Thank you for your vigilance in this matter, and for your continued support and partnership in keeping our schools safe.