Teachers, students across DC region dealing with increase in violent threats in schools

Violence during first week of school

The school year is just getting underway, but teachers and students across the region are already having to deal with violent threats. FOX 5's Josh Rosenthal spoke to an expert about why it's happening.

WASHINGTON - The school year is just getting started, but teachers and students all over the D.C. region are already having to deal with violent threats.

Just in the past week, at least three separate incidents have spurred lock downs or cancelations at area schools.

On Tuesday, officials say a bomb threat led to a lockdown at Kennedy High School until investigators determined the threat was a hoax.

That came less than a week after a threatening social media post led to the cancelation of a high school football game in Fredericksburg.

On Thursday, Potomac High School in Dumfries was temporarily locked down after officials there said a threat was made against the school.

FOX 5's Josh Rosenthal spoke with Dr. Amy Klinger with the Educator's School Safety Network who said there are several reasons for an increase in threats.

She says one reason is that social media amplifies individual incidents. She said she is also concerned about a lack of accountability when someone makes a threat, and she thinks there's a general divisiveness throughout our society right now, which plays a role as well.

"You don't make a threat on a place that you feel connected and involved and supported," Klinger said. "I think schools need to really realign the conversations around school safety and violence prevention and not just have it always be react, react, react."