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More school shooting threats spur conversation among educators

The increased threats come after Orono schools spent most of Wednesday in lockdown after social media shooting threats.

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. – Several schools have canceled classes Thursday due to potentially serious violent threats on social media, from Hill City Schools near Grand Rapids to Riceville schools in Iowa. A school on the Turtle Mountain Indian reservation in North Dakota sent students home Wednesday and canceled classes Thursday.

The increased threats come after Orono schools spent most of Wednesday in lockdown after social media shooting threats, leading to the arrest of a high school student, a juvenile who now faces charges in Hennepin County for threatening a shooting at Orono schools.

“So for those that want to do this to get attention, there are serious consequences, we are looking at felony terroristic threats, as well federal charges working with the FBI,” said Orono Police Chief Correy Farniok, during a Wednesday press conference.

“Whether comments from online or in person from kids, I think we have got to start taking those seriously,” said Kelly Wilson, Education Minnesota Osseo President. Wilson is among many educators navigating a world with increased threats since the Parkland, Florida shooting.

This week, Osseo District 279 school board chairman Robert Gerhart proposed his own solution, using vetted and screened community members with a permit to carry a concealed weapon to volunteer in schools.

“I know for a fact that we have teachers across the district and across our state who carry a similar card but cannot carry a firearm to protect themselves or their students even if they wanted to because it is illegal to do so. But, state and federal laws already in place also provide a relatively simple but almost completely unused way for school administrators to pick and choose which registered permit-holders (a subset of the people who are already screened) can be allowed to simply extend the protection they choose for themselves to the students around them,” said Gerhart, in a letter he read at the board meeting, and linked to his blog.

President Trump made school shootings and guns a top priority again Thursday. He spoke with state and local leaders about security and gun control, doubling down on his call to arm some teachers to prevent school shootings.

At Education Minnesota Osseo, Wilson said a majority of teachers he represents believe there is a better solution.

“Most of our teachers I have heard from aren't interested in carrying and don't think that is a good idea, if we are going to arm schools, let's do so with resources and things that will help kids do well academically,” said Wilson.

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