School threats leave parents few choices but to ‘prepare and pray’

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

School threats, real or hoax, are taking a toll on some Mid-Missouri parents, students and teachers.

This school year, they seem to have taken on unprecedented volume, leaving parents and students no choice but to prepare and pray.

From Sept. 12 through Wednesday, at least eight school threats were reported in five Mid-Missouri school districts.

On Wednesday, a student made a threat during class at Southern Boone Middle School. The student was taken into custody for third-degree making a terrorist threat.

Since Sept. 13, the Southern Boone School District has reported four threats, with each one leading to a juvenile being arrested.

Threats were also reported in the Marshall Public School District and Macon County Public Schools. Columbia Public Schools was affected by a threat that was deemed not credible on Sept. 12.

CPS parent Jasmine Bucker and grandparent Demetria Stephens say although the threat was a hoax ,they tell their children to always be prepared. They say to handle this new normal they must be prepared and pray.

"I do a lot of praying I let my spirit [tell me] what to do and how to discern things, but I don't really have too much of a fear sending them to school because I do pray over my children," Buckner said.

Being nearby also brings a sense of security for Stephens.

"A year ago, it's going on two years now, I literally moved closer to Battle Elementary and Battle High School because there have been so many incidents," Stephens said. "Before I was driving eight miles, now I'm driving about two."

"I have [family tracking app] Life 360 on her and me and my husband, listen to the scanner for this purpose," Bucker says.

All-day communication in family group chats along with open dialog with their children is what Buckner and Stephens say brings them a sense a comfort.

"Be completely open and honest with them according to their age," Bucker says, "I would prefer my children to hear whatever it is from me rather than online."

"I tell my grandchildren everything, I am always worried something is going on," Stephens said.

As of Sept. 19, there have been at least 50 school shootings in the U.S this year -- 32 of them at K-12 schools, according to data collected by CNN from reports by the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week and Everytown for Gun Safety.

The most-recent mass school shooting occurred at Apalachee High School in Georgia earlier this month. The shooting left two students and two teachers dead, along with nine others injured. The alleged shooter, Colt Gray, 14, was arrested and has been charged with four counts of felony murder. His father has been charged with manslaughter.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Courage2Report most recent numbers, from Jan. 1-Aug. 27, there were 74 school shooting threats reported and 86 threat-to-kill reports made to the hotline.

In 2023, a report made by the American Psychological Association showed 32% of parents with children in K-12 schools said they were "extremely worried" about a shooting at their child's school.

MU Health Care psychiatrist and parent Dr. Laine Young-Walker said that when addressing school threats with your children, it is important to have open and honest communication.

"It's important, the parent No. 1, lets all kids no matter what age to let them know they can communicate with their parent at any time, how they are feeling, how things are going, and that they talk to them at their level," Young-Walker said.

"So you might say to your 4-year-old something scary could happen at school and maybe give them an idea of what could happen, but a teenager, that conversation will be a little different."

The National Institute of Mental Health suggests other ways you can help your children cope:

• Reassure children they are safe;
• Review safety procedures;
• Limit exposure to TV and social media about traumatic events;
• Maintain a normal routine.

For parents to cope, Young-Walker says to "acknowledge the fears and concerns you have, focus on time for self-care whether it be exercise, sleep, things you like to do."

Columbia Public Schools added a new weapons detection system to its three high schools this year. The district holds two active-shooter drills a year at each school.

Bucker and Stephens say intruder trainings need to be done often because it always comes down to being prepared.

If you know of a possible threat you are encouraged to report it to Courage2Report by phone, online or through the mobile app.