For many students, the first month of this school year was fraught with violence and threats.
Wheeling Park was placed on lockdown before their first day of school could even start because two bullets were found on a bus.
Just weeks later, a 14-year-old boy killed two students and two teachers and injured many more in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, GA.
Then came the local threats, which happened throughout the Ohio Valley, W. Va. and beyond, forcing schools to close and the FBI to get involved.
There were 2 threats made to Hancock country schools that happened, both being aimed towards Weir Middle School. These threats left Hancock school closed for two days. The juveniles in both cases were charged with felonies.
Hancock schools have safe masses in place to protect those in schools if there ever was a real threat. This mass is called Alice training. Alice stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. Alice training is important because it allows us to be prepared in a situation if a violent act would occur.
In a statement given to WTOV 9 Schools Superintendent, Dan Enich, said, “I echo the concerns for their children’s safety and will direct the situation with safety as the ultimate priority.”
Violence and threats in school have been on the rise. Around 23 schools have been affected by school violence since the start of 2024. Forty-nine people have either been killed or injured in school shootings this year alone. School shootings are at an all-time high according to usatoday.com.
In a school wide survey, a freshman at Weir High School said, “I mean, there is already so much wrong with America, but I just feel like with all these threats of violence, homicide, etc., it’s just… hard to go there every day. I don’t know, I just feel like I constantly have to look over my shoulder.”
But most others who completed the survey feel safe at school and said they felt as the teachers protect them.
AmericaProgress stated, “…Nearly half of parents of K-12 students reported “fearing for their children’s safety.” Some parents have chosen to homeschool their children after school shootings or threats. The number of families doing so has increased in recent years. When choosing to homeschool their children, parents usually prioritize safety over other factors, like academics and social environments according to the national center for education and statistics.
It is not just the violence that people act on at record high levels, it’s the threats to bring violence to school. Schools all over the nation have seen an increase in school shooting threats.
These threats can either be made over social media posts like Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and other social media platforms, but they also can be made in person at school or to a friend. Making threats like this brings lots of anxiety to their fellow classmates. Olivia Smith said one reason she doesn’t feel safe at school is because “you never know who could fulfill those threats.”
5% of students who took a schoolwide survey answered with possible solutions. They suggested metal detectors, better school security, bulletproof windows, and more exits but most students said there was either not much they could do, or they felt that the school is good.
Gun violence is now the leading cause of death in children and adolescents ages 1-19. There’s not just one solution to stop all gun violence, but there are ways to limit it. State and federal lawmakers play a critical role to limit school violence.
