Providing a safe learning environment is a shared responsibility that involves not only students themselves but also school and district staff members, parents, and the community as a whole. Unfortunately, in recent years, schools across Kentucky have experienced an escalation of terroristic threats being made by students. Terroristic threats refer to verbal or written statements that communicate an intention to commit violence with the intention of causing fear, panic, or harm to individuals. Terroristic threats have caused widespread fear throughout school communities and have resulted in total disruption to the educational process. Terroristic threats can result in a wide array of negative impacts on the school community to include loss of instructional time due to closure of schools to investigate, increased absences due to fear, impacts on the emotional well-being of students and staff and also financial impacts due to missed school days and use of district and law enforcement resources to complete investigations.
The Boone County School District and local law enforcement agencies take these threats seriously and investigate them thoroughly to ensure the safety of students and staff. Making terroristic threats is a serious offense and can result in legal charges being filed. Such threats to our students and school staff are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The purpose of this letter is to notify all parents and guardians that the Boone County School District, in coordination with the responding law enforcement agency, will pursue immediate legal charges for felony terroristic threatening in the second degree, to the absolute fullest extent of the law, against anyone who makes such threats, including students. Moreover, we will advocate to our highest ability that the prosecution of these individuals be swift, and their punishment be severe.
Terroristic Threatening in the second degree is defined in state law (KRS 508.078)
A person is guilty of terroristic threatening in the second degree when, other than as provided in KRS 508.075, he or she intentionally makes false statements by any means, including by electronic communication, indicating that an act likely to result in death or serious physical injury is occurring or will occur for the purpose of:
1. Causing evacuation of a school building, school property, or school sanctioned activity;
2. Causing cancellation of school classes or school-sanctioned activity; or
3. Creating fear of death or serious physical injury among students, parents, or school personnel.
Our approach to eliminating terroristic threats in our school and district is strong and unwavering. It is imperative that you discuss this critically important matter with your student as soon as possible. School and law enforcement officials are determined to stop these willful acts of terrorism being made toward our students. Please do your part to ensure that your child fully understands the seriousness of such an offense and the potential consequences. Together we can prevent this unnecessary, dangerous, and disruptive crime from victimizing our schools. We appreciate your partnership in keeping our school the safest place for your child to learn and grow.