'Shoot up the school' — Raytown school leaders talk safety after new violent threat
As police were investigating a second threat of of violence against Raytown schools, school officials detailed safety measures they've adopted during a Citizens Advisory Committee meeting Tuesday evening.
The discussion involved parents, students, faculty and district administrators, and it aimed to quell fear of violence in the district.
The meeting came after the discovery of two threats against the district in a three-day period.
On Tuesday afternoon, a citizen alerted authorities to a social media comment made by someone who claimed to be out of state, Raytown police said at about 9 p.m., after the Advisory meeting had ended.
The individual threatened to "shoot up the school."
The credibility of the threat was undetermined as of Tuesday evening. Raytown police wrote officers "take threats of this nature very seriously."
On Sunday, a middle school student posted a photo of firearms on social media and threatened violence. Students alerted authorities to the post, which led to the student's arrest on Monday.
The student, 14, did not possess firearms and told police she made the threat because she did not want to go to school. She was taken to the Jackson County Juvenile Justice Center on Monday.
Despite the national proliferation of threats following the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla., two weeks ago, the Raytown Citizens Advisory Committee meeting served to assuage fears for parents, students and staff.
"We are not scared that we don’t have enough in place already, but we want to do more," said Travis Hux, the assistant superintendent for support services, during a discussion about implemented safety measures. "We are never going to tell our kids the details of our plan, but we’re going to let them know we have a plan."
Hux said schools in the district are equipped with an extensive camera system that Raytown police have direct access to. Schools also have a barricade system in nearly every classroom and panic buttons throughout schools that communicate with the Raytown Police Department.
Superintendent Allen Markley ensured attendees that the district was doing everything possible to maintain safety.
Students who attended said they'd always felt safe in the school, but after the presentation felt a heightened sense of security.
Students' desire to participate in one of two nationwide walkouts was also discussed. A walkout in mid-March is set to protest school violence, and another in April will serve as a memorial to the victims of the Columbine shooting.
Markley said he endorsed the students' wish to participate and encouraged faculty to do so as well.
Reporting threats seen on social media was emphasized during the meeting.
Porsche Seals, a member of the Norfleet Parent Teacher Association, gave an emotional plea to students to continue speaking out about threatening statements made by students.
Markley said social media, while a vehicle for making threats, can also serve as a positive tool for alerting authorities to the existence of disturbing statements made online.
This story was originally published February 27, 2018 at 11:00 PM with the headline "'Shoot up the school' — Raytown school leaders talk safety after new violent threat."