Information about Swatting Hoaxes

Dear 287 Families,

Today (Wednesday, September 21st), many school districts in Minnesota were affected by false reports of an active shooter on their campuses. It has been reported that some schools have received internet-based phone calls with these threats, which turn out to be unsubstantiated. It appears to be part of a trending online hoax or prank known as “swatting.”

Intermediate District 287 has not experienced these swatting hoaxes. However, we know that many of our families may be understandably concerned about school safety. Please know that our top priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff. We take any and all reports of potential threats seriously, and we are making every effort to maintain an environment where students and staff feel safe.

We would like to continue to encourage our students and school community to report anything that could constitute a threat to school safety. As always, we work closely with local law enforcement to assist in these types of situations. 

We want to ask you to please talk with your students about the responsible use of social media. Posting or perpetuating false information is very serious, and depending upon the nature of the false information, can lead to criminal charges. 

As always, we thank you for your partnership in providing a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students. 

 

Sincerely,

Marcy Doud

Superintendent