Officials encourage students, parents to report legitimate threats of harm and other concerns — and also to be aware of signs of social media hoaxes
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry is joined by Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin, and Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris in advising Pennsylvanians of a rise in reports of school-based threats and resulting safety closures since the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, and that the increase is largely attributed to false threats and the rampant sharing and reporting of those threats, fueled by social media.
Research shows that students and other bystanders play a critical role in preventing school violence. State officials are encouraged by the widespread use of reporting tip channels, such as the Office of Attorney General’s Safe2Say Something program, but remind individuals who use the platform to only report credible threats.
This school year, Safe2Say Something administrators are dealing with a large increase in tips — by more than 50 percent — many of them attributable to false threats shared on social media.
“It is certainly not a desired avenue of my office or law enforcement partners to criminally charge a student. However, intentional false reports traumatize other students and school communities at large, while hampering overall efforts to keep schools and students safe from real threats of violence,” Attorney General Henry said. “If you feel threatened, or have witnessed an act or conversation that causes concern, or are struggling with your own mental health, by all means, seek help and report it. If you are looking to get a free day off school and scare your classmates, stop and think about the consequences.”
The state officials are also advising parents and students that many threats that emerge in their respective schools are created far beyond their communities, typically as generic threats shared on social media with the intent of going viral and causing panic and alarm. Re-shares of these non-specific social media posts can contribute to the spread of the false threat.
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Chairman for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and the School Safety and Security Committee, says conversations with trusted adults at school or at home can help students understand the importance of sharing concerns about potential safety issues, as well as how to identify information that is likely false and the consequences of fake reports.
“Every Pennsylvania kid deserves to be safe and feel safe in their community, and Governor Shapiro and I are working hard to make sure our kids’ schools are places where they can learn and grow,” said Davis. “Unfortunately, the epidemic of gun violence is affecting nearly every community across the Commonwealth, and threats to our schools are a constant concern for parents. As a new dad, I empathize with those concerns, but it’s important for parents to know the facts and talk to our kids about what they’re hearing at school and seeing online.”
Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris said that all reported threats are vetted and taken seriously, which is why false reports cause such a drain on resources and distract law enforcement from focusing on credible threats. Several juveniles across the state have been charged in connection with making false reports that interrupted school days.
“Pennsylvania State Police, along with local police departments across the Commonwealth, are dealing with an increase in reported threats, and every one of those threats is treated as a legitimate safety risk,” Col. Paris said. “Some threats are identified early on as pranks or social media hoaxes, and we want to share those indicators with parents. We encourage parents to speak with their children about social media use and the serious ramifications of making these threats.”
Col. Paris identified some signs of a false threat that you may see online:
- A vague or non-descriptive threat
- A threat being shared by someone you do not know and who appears to be from another state or country
- A threat with a generic photograph
- A threat from a non-descript or “bot” social media account
Department of Education Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin advises students to speak to teachers, counselors, and school resource officers about any concerns they may have about the health and well-being of their peers, while being aware of anonymous reporting channels, such as Safe2Say Something.
“We want every student to feel safe, comfortable, and empowered to learn and build relationships in their classrooms,” Secretary Mumin said. “Tools like Safe2Say Something enable educators and counselors to intervene and help students struggling with their mental health, preventing tragedy and ensuring the health and safety of the entire school community.”
The Safe2Say Something program allows students to report concerns or incidents of violence and threats at their schools and communities involving gun violence, bullying, and threats of self-harm.
Every tip to Safe2Say is reviewed, assessed and diverted at the Office of Attorney General’s call center to the appropriate school and law enforcement officials. Safe2Say tips have resulted in the seizures of more than 125 weapons since the program was launched in January 2019.
Attorney General Henry emphasized that the Safe2Say Something program is utilized by thousands of students every school year, with more than 32,000 tips submitted during the 2023-24 school year. Many recent tips regard threats circulating on social media.
Last week, the Shapiro Administration unveiled a new professional development resource for educators — the Information and Media Literacy Toolkit — to develop the information literacy skills of educators, students, and families to help the next generation of Pennsylvanians learn how to discern fact from fiction online.
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