By State Attorney Suzy Lopez
As another school year begins, there is one conversation every parent should have with their child before the first bell rings: School threats are not a joke. One impulsive social media post can carry serious legal consequences.
It takes only a few seconds to post a message, send a photo or share a comment online. What some students think is funny or harmless can trigger a massive law enforcement response, disrupting an entire school. This behavior can terrify students, teachers and the entire community. In a world where we’ve all seen the devastating reality of school shootings, every threat must be treated as real until investigators determine otherwise.
Today’s students communicate through countless apps and social media platforms, many of which parents may have never heard of. Some kids believe those conversations disappear or will never be seen by adults. We know that’s not true. Threats are often reported by classmates, parents or the platforms themselves. Once they are, law enforcement acts quickly.
At the state attorney’s office, we review these cases carefully, and the consequences can be serious. Florida law makes it a second-degree felony to make a written or electronic threat to kill, cause bodily harm, commit a mass shooting or carry out an act of terrorism. Even when a student claims they were ‘just kidding,’ they can still be arrested, spend the night in custody and face consequences that can affect their future.
These laws exist to protect our children. Every student deserves to feel safe walking into a classroom, and every parent deserves the peace of mind that comes with knowing threats will be taken seriously.
Before your child heads back to school, remind them that what they post online has real-world consequences. One impulsive message can change lives in an instant.
And if your child sees a threatening post or message, don’t assume someone else has reported it. Contact law enforcement immediately or submit a report through the FortifyFL app or at https://getfortifyfl.com/. Speaking up could prevent a tragedy.