Safety concerns rise across district after increase in social media rumors
According to Education Week (edweek.org), there have been 14 school shootings this year that resulted in injuries or deaths. Three of those were in Texas – Dallas, Arlington and Amarillo. There have been 158 such shootings nationwide since 2018.
April 14, 2023
Just days before the April 20 anniversary of the Columbine school shooting, superintendent John Chapman warned faculty and parents Friday about rumors, texts and social media posts threatening a similar event on at least two campuses.
Concerns arose after rumors about a school shooting went viral at Pieper Ranch Middle School, which went on lockdown Friday. A student reported to law enforcement that he believed another student had a gun. A text to parents said no emergency existed and all students were safe.
Similar rumors spread to Kinder Ranch Elementary School. However, no texts, social media posts or other communication had been reported about that campus.
As the district assesses this situation, Chapman urged parents to talk with their children about what to do if they come across a threatening social media post and to either report it to an adult or online. 
The Texas Suspicious Activity Reporting Network, iWatchTexas, part of the Texas Department of Public Safety Fusion Center, is a website where community members can report suspicious activities or behaviors that may indicate criminal, terroristic, or school safety-related threats.
Chapman reported the DPS Fusion Center, which monitors suspicious activity and threats, has noticed an increase in threatening calls being made to school districts across Texas.
“In speaking with a group of superintendents in the region, they too are dealing with a significant increase of students sharing messages that originate on platforms such as Snapchat and Discord,” Chapman wrote in his email.
After the shooting in Uvalde this past May and the recent shooting in Nashville, students and parents have become increasingly aware about real and perceived threats.
The Texas School Safety Center conducts audits on campus to make sure potential shooters cannot gain access on school campuses statewide. Additionally, all doors, exterior and interior, must be locked at all times throughout the day and at least two school resource officers are on campus at all times.
“As a school district, the awareness of threats to our schools is also heightened as we continue to monitor situations and issues that may cause concern for our students’ safety,” Chapman said in his email, “Please know that we will always take each threat to the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff seriously, and that together, we can make Comal ISD schools safe for everyone.”
