By Andrea Arens
A student reported a threatening message scribbled on the wall of a bathroom stall on Tuesday, May 9. The message read the school was going to get shot up tomorrow.
The district responded the same day, notifying parents they believed the threat wasn’t credible; they did invite police to be present at the junior high Wednesday morning.
There was an additional reminder to encourage children to report things to trusted adults and, if caught, the district would take disciplinary and legal action. The problem is the students have to get caught.
Wednesday, though, a Richton Park student brought a loaded gun to school.
Increasing threats and instances in which children threaten violence or incite violence raise the question of how districts determine if a threat is credible? District 207-U has seen its share of threats this school year.
Both Superintendent Steve Stein and Police Chief David DeMik confirmed that a threat is credible when it can be identified and investigated. When it can’t, the district will search bags and lunch bags for weapons.
DeMik added the police don’t have authority in the school district. Police have to be contacted by the district officials and can stand present while administration conducts the searches of bags, as was done Wednesday morning.
In fact, the police cannot interview a child unless they interview the entire school and have the district’s and parent’s permission, since the law was changed a few years ago.
In 2015, an Illinois law took effect prohibiting schools from fining students. Districts then referred students to their local police departments, and students were issued tickets for misconduct. A current proposed Illinois bill, sponsored by Democrat LaShawn Ford, proposes an end to ticketing.
Illinois Compiled Statutes do allow students to be charged with disorderly conduct as a Class 4 Felony but only after the district catches the culprit and contacts the police.