Alpena Public Schools issued the following announcement on Dec 7.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with each of the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by the tragic events in Oxford Community Schools this past week. No community should ever have to endure such suffering.
We were further disheartened to see the actions of individuals across the state who subsequently engaged in false and/or “copycat” threats towards schools. Their appalling actions resulted in traumatizing disruptions in the lives of thousands of people as over 150 schools closed their doors out of an abundance of caution. Today, several school aged children in our state find themselves in police custody and facing serious charges that carry long term consequences for posting threats of violence.
Our message to our communities is that your educational leaders, law enforcement agencies, and prosecutors place the safety and security of our students and community as our top priority. We will subject any individual who makes a threat, real or fake, to the fullest possible extent of our policies and law. The children and adults of our communities must know that law enforcement will investigate every threat and take the necessary lawful actions to protect our communities. Making threats of violence against a school, organization, individual or otherwise is a crime - even if the threat is false or a “joke.”
Penalties for threats can be very serious. Under Michigan Law penalties may include up to 20 years in prison, $20,000 fines, and/or reimbursement for expenses incurred from the violation. Using a computer to commit a crime in certain instances also contains a 20-year maximum penalty.
We encourage you to speak with your families about not only the tragedy in Oxford, but the seriousness of making threats of any kind. For support in helping parents talk with their children, see The National Association of School Psychologists - Talking to Children about Violence, Tips for Parents and Teachers.
If you or someone you know wants to report concerning behavior, a looming threat, or otherwise, there are many ways to communicate that information to the proper authorities; 911, any law enforcement agency, school leaders, and Okay2Say.
Reporting suspicious or concerning behavior including social media posts is our most effective way to ensure the safety of our schools and communities.
Original source can be found here.
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