Students in Central Arkansas who threatened to use violence on school grounds are facing repercussions

Little Rock, Arkansas – The number of threats to schools is increasing nationwide, with Arkansas being one of the areas affected.

If the threats are not carried out, police are imposing penalties.

Superintendent of the Little Rock School District Dr. Jermall Wright stated, “I think the solution of more parent involvement and more parent engagement is actually a solution to many of the issues we see in schools.”

Little Rock Police Department said in a statement posted to Facebook:
“The Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) has been actively responding to threats of violence against local schools, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring the safety of students and staff. Our efforts have resulted in two arrests of individuals who threatened to commit acts of violence on school property. These charges also have strict consequences.”

At Premier High School outside of the district and Southwest High School within the Little Rock School District, threats and arrests were made.

“Our children and our schools will benefit more the more we can get our parents on board with us to have conversations with their children and to hold their children accountable,” Wright stated.

The Little Rock Police Department is working with schools to establish cooperative partnerships, threat assessment procedures, and security measures in an effort to increase safety.

The Little Rock School District is also taking action, adding Centegix, a panic alarm system, and metal and weapon detectors in addition to talking with teachers and kids about safety procedures.
“I believe this will slightly increase our efforts, but I know that our teachers and school administrators have those conversations with students on a regular basis,” Wright stated.
Wright feels that this will demonstrate to students that their actions have consequences, even though it is unfortunate that it took the arrest of a student for others to understand the potential repercussions of making a threat.

According to Wright, “sometimes our students need to know that there are serious consequences or repercussions.”

Wright points out that making errors is a necessary component of learning and maturing as a student. Additionally, he states that these acts are serious and will not be tolerated.
Wright also thinks social media has a direct influence on our schools.

Wright stated, “I’ve said this over and over, that our schools are just a microcosm of what happens in our society at large. What we see happening in our world is simply reflected in our schools,” “There have been numerous discussions regarding the detrimental effects of social media on society and education in schools.”

Nowadays, social media is the main channel by which many threats against schools are disseminated.

The Little Rock School District will talk about its strategic plan and other current topics at its town hall meeting, including cell phone usage.

The strategic plan includes a section on safety and belonging, two concepts that, in Dr. Wright’s opinion, go hand in hand.

It’s frequently because they don’t feel like they belong—at school, at home, or in their community—that children threaten and mean it when they do so, according to Wright. He wishes to reassure the community at large and parents in particular that they have taken “precautionary steps” to guarantee school safety.