Viral social media post puts Western Washington schools on alert

A viral social media post has school districts heightening security Friday.

The threat is calling for a national day of violence in the classroom.

While local law enforcement agencies say there is no credible threat in Western Washington, they are still monitoring schools across the area.

Seattle Public Schools says it is monitoring the situation, Tacoma Public Schools is going into a modified lockdown for the day, and Northshore schools have asked for a strong police presence.

“Threats should be taken seriously, even if it’s not a local threat,” says parent Kayla Epting. Her daughter is a junior at Garfield High School in Seattle, where she serves on the PTSA.

Together with other community leaders, she held a meeting Thursday night to discuss the increased number of threats across the sound.

Some of those threats include a recent shooting near Garfield High School in Seattle where just weeks prior, a bomb threat had forced the campus to be evacuated.

Bothell High School canceled classes for this Friday after a threatening message was found on campus. It’s the second this month the school has closed due to safety concerns.

Ferndale High School was locked down after a threatening post was found on social media and a 13-year-old was arrested for threatening to shoot students at Whitman Middle School in Seattle.

“We are trying to do everything we can to make sure that you’re kids are safe,” says Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz. “We’ve actually made some arrests in them, investigated some of them, but we’re also making sure there’s a visible presence from the schools as well.”

In the meantime, some district leaders are hoping it’s not lost on parents that these threats can take a toll on their kids. School board members added that Seattle Public Schools needs to do better at making sure students have the mental health support they need.

“They’re struggling,” says SPS board member Michelle Sarju. “They’re struggling in ways we’ve never seen.”

©2021 Cox Media Group