Shooting threats. Images of murder, KKK. And KC Public Schools is mum on consequences

Here we are again: more racism and threats of violence in a Kansas City-area school. This time at the city’s most elite and racially diverse high school.

What’s being done about it? We don’t know, because that’s a secret schools keep to protect the student culprit, even though districts expect punishment will stop other kids from committing similar offenses. But how can it if districts can’t, or won’t, say what consequences were meted out for the act?

Kansas City police are investigating a threat made Wednesday to kill students at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy. This comes weeks after parents say a student drew a grisly scene during art class of a Black person murdered by Klansmen. The two incidents are among a series of threats of violence and racist behavior by area students.

Thursday on social media, parents said students were horrified when an artwork depicting images of people in white robes and hoods, holding guns and circling a brown body in a pool of blood, was created in a classroom by another student. It later circulated on social media.

“Die” and “That’s cool”’ were encased in word bubbles above the heads of the hooded figures in the picture. “KKK” was written in the corner.

Naming the student isn’t necessary. Saying, “We do not condone this,” as a Kansas City Public Schools official did, isn’t enough. Districts need to be specific about what consequences come to these students. And parents need to teach kids that racism is never OK, and that threatening violence can get them arrested.

In the last month alone, threats of violence have been made against schools in Independence, the Hickman Mills district, Cameron, Lee’s Summit, Olathe and Park Hill. Those last two school districts also are dealing with racist student behavior. An Olathe student made racist comments in a homecoming proposal and in Park Hill, students started a petition to bring back slavery.

Lincoln Prep Principal Kristian Foster notified parents they had identified the person responsible for a social media threat to shoot up Lincoln. Kansas City police had the person in custody.

It did not say if the threat came from a Lincoln student or someone else. The district eventually told us “the student was trespassing” at Lincoln. It declined to give more details, saying it must abide by state law that protects student privacy.

Foster said what school officials always say in these situations, “safety is our priority.” She promised transparency.

Students and parents would feel safer if they were told where the threat came from. Students and parents might feel safer knowing the person who made the threat or racist comment was suspended, expelled or arrested.

We asked KCPS what it’s doing to stop this behavior.

“We would hope that school discipline and police involvement would be a deterrent,” said district spokeswoman Kelly Wachel.

It might. But for that to happen students and parents need to know that anyone who starts a racist petition, draws a racist image or threatens to shoot up a school faces real consequences and what discipline was served.