A social media furor in connection with alleged school safety threats prompted school officials statewide to enhance security and calm fears on campuses.
On Sept. 9, students from north to south Texas started sharing what has been described as a uni- versal and "non-specific" threat from apps such as
Snapchat and Facebook.
The scare filtered into the Highland Lakes, motivating Marble Falls ISD officials to inform parents, instruct educators and assist students in navigating their concerns.
“When safety concerns arise, whether con- firmed or precautionary, the Marble Falls Police Department will increase its presence on campuses, supported by other local agencies. This additional police presence ensures that our students and staff feel secure and that any potential issues are addressed swiftly,” said Communication Specialist Megan Hamilton in a statement to The Highlander. “Additionally, we offer counseling services to support the social and emotional well-being of every student. Our commitment to students goes beyond academics – we are deeply invested in their overall well-being.
“We also prioritize open communication with students, parents, staff, and the community. While we aim to be as transparent as possible, we carefully balance the need for public safety with protecting individual privacy in every situation.”
The statement followed a Marble Falls ISD social media post at 7:51 a.m. on Sept. 12, offering details to the community.
“School districts across the State are dealing with vague threats that are causing students and parents alarm. Unfortunately, because of social media, kids are perpetuating these posts even though they have nothing to do with that student’s school or school district,” the post read. “At this time, Marble Falls ISD has no reason to believe that these threats pose a risk to any of our MFISD campuses.
“We will continue to monitor social media and investigate any concerns,” the post continued. “All campuses are running as normal.
“When we have anything like this come up, whether true or false, Marble Falls Police Department has an increased presence on campuses with assistance from other agencies.”
High school adminis- trators "were notified of unspecific threats from so cial media that did not call out any MFISD campus.”
Commenter Sirena Staedtler expressed sup- port for how officials han dled the concern.
“Hopefully these false threats don’t desensitize the students to actual threat,” Staedtler wrote. “Great job for those who had the courage to report it. Great job to those who investigated it and were able to clear up the situation and ease minds.”
Marble Falls parents and guardians received messages through an application known as Parent Square as well. A spe- cific message from Mar ble Falls Middle School Principal Rudy Gonzales on Sept. 10 at 5 p.m. encouraged the community to remain vigilant.
“A social media post including a threat, which did not originate in Marble Falls or have any indication that it had anything to do with Marble Falls, was seen by Marble Falls students and shared widely via a social media post,” Gonzales wrote. “Several student became fixated on this post and its content but did not report the post to a caring adult or administration.
“We need to reiterate the importance of our ‘See Something, Say Something’ guidelines in Marble Falls ISD,” he added. “When a safety concern like this occurs, it gives the school and parents the opportunity to visit with students to reinforce the need to immediately communicate with any school employee should a student ever see anything that makes them concerned for their safety or the safety of our Marble Falls ISD community.”
Hamilton shared that should campuses undergo a true threat, personnel have a plan.
“Teachers and students participate in multiple safety drills throughout the year, ensuring that everyone is familiar with emergency procedures,” she said. “We collaborate closely with local first responders, conducting regular, thorough training exercises to prepare for any potential situation.
“This ongoing preparation ensures that our staff, students, and community are ready to respond quickly and effectively in an emergency,” Hamilton continued. “In addition to comprehensive training, we are at the forefront of security technology, utilizing advanced systems like CENTEGIX and security camera systems to enhance safety across our campuses.”
Officials also offer a platform to submit a tip anonymously. Visit www. marblefallsisd.org and click on the ‘Anonymous Tips’ heading on the district website homepage. Also, access StayALERT at www.stayalert.info.
