Mo Charnot
Santa Fe High School's safety aide stops a car at the school's security gate.
Within the past week, Santa Fe Public Schools has received two threats of school shootings via social media posts, but school security and the Santa Fe Police Department found no credible evidence of a threat.
“Unfortunately, this is something that is common now. There are violations for individuals that generate these threats towards schools—it's a disruption to the educational day,” SFPS Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez says. “We do want to make sure that they're thoroughly investigated and that there is a conclusion to all of these threats."
On both Sept. 12 and Sept. 19, SFPS released statements regarding the threats via Facebook and direct messages to parents through the district’s Remind app. The first states that “after a detailed investigation” with the district’s security department and SFPD that included interviews with students, guardians and staff, “it has been determined that there is no current threat to the safety of our school community.”
The second post clarifies that SFPD is aware of the threats and says “while [SFPD] have not confirmed any direct threats to our schools, they are increasing patrols out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of our students.”
On Facebook, SFPD has also released a statement saying it sensed “the information is a hoax,” and that changes or updates will be provided by the school district.
“What we're finding out is this is something that not only is being distributed here in Santa Fe, but across New Mexico and across the nation,” SFPS Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez tells SFR. “But, we take all threats seriously, we make sure that they're investigated thoroughly and SFPD is always informed.”
A screenshot of the first threat to the school district, which came last week, shows a list of 18 “targeted schools” in SFPS on Snapchat. This threat was identified to have originated out of state, according to Chavez. The second threat’s investigation is ongoing.
“We have not determined right now, with cooperation from SFPD, where it originated from. However, we do know there were schools up north that were closed due to very similar threats,” Chavez says. “I'm not going to say identical, but very similar threats.”
On Tuesday, KOB reported several gun-related incidents and threats toward schools in New Mexico, including Cimarron High School in Cimarron, Volcano Vista and Del Norte high schools in Albuquerque, Raton High School in Raton and Centennial High School in Las Cruces.
Schools across the nation have been impacted by a widespread surge of gun violence threats in the past few weeks, with the Chicago Tribune reporting multiple lockdowns and remote learning days due to circulating social media threats, KUTV reporting a statewide social media threat hoax in Utah and KXAN reporting more than 20 schools threatened—some resulting in arrests—in Austin, Texas.
Chavez says the SFPD is keeping the district in the loop as they investigate the threats made.
“We do want to thank SFPD as being great partners. They were out there providing additional patrols in marked cars and unmarked cars,” Chavez says, adding that the district’s safety aides and school cameras (both indoors and out) provide additional security.
However, the threats circulating around social media have left parents in the district concerned. Shanna Dorman, a parent of two SFPS students, tells SFR she first read about the threats on Facebook and immediately contacted SFPD’s non-emergency number.
“I just wanted to make sure that they were aware of it,” Dorman says, later adding about the post she saw, “It's the kind of thing that seems obviously like a hoax, but obviously concerning at the same time. We don't know where the truth is, so, better safe than sorry.”
Shortly after commenting on Facebook to inform other parents SFPD was aware and investigating, she began receiving messages from concerned parents.
“They were reaching out to me, just checking in about it, because a lot of people didn't want to send their kids to school,” Dorman says. “It feels unsafe.”
Despite her skepticism, Dorman said “having 18 of your schools listed as schools that are possibly being threatened with gun violence is pretty freaking jarring.”
Neither of the schools Dorman’s children attend were on the list of schools in the threat, and both attended school Thursday.
“I mean, absolutely, on some level, reading there could be gun violence in SFPS absolutely makes you want to keep your kids at home,” Dorman says. “Even for me, it raises red flags. It was not something that I discussed with my children prior to going to school, because I didn't want to instill fear or panic in my kids over something that's most likely a hoax.”
When asked how these kinds of threats affect attendance, the district released a statement saying, “The impact varies, but it definitely makes a negative impact.”
Chavez says the district encourages parents, students and staff to report any suspicious or unusual activity by contacting their school’s administration, submitting an anonymous tip in the “Submit a Tip” section of sandyhookpromise.org or calling the district at (505) 467-2000.
“We've been very fortunate that we've had some adults—parents—really help us in being vigilant in notifying the schools,” Chavez says. “No matter who reports it, when they report it, we always investigate fully. In both cases, after the initial report, students came forward as well just to share what they've seen on social media…It's going to be a community effort to ensure our schools are safe.”
