Statement from Dr. Slavic, Superintendent: Social Media Threats

September 17, 2024

Dear Auburn Staff and Families,

I am writing to address a growing concern affecting our students, our community, and the broader school environment: cyber-swatting and the repurposing of threats on social media platforms.

Recently, several false threats have been circulated through social media in our district, across the state, and the country. These threats often involve claims of danger or emergencies that are not real but are spread repeatedly across various platforms. When these posts are reshared, they cause confusion and panic, leading to unnecessary emergency responses and disrupting our educational environment.

What is Cyber Swatting?

Cyber swatting is when individuals make false reports of emergencies, often involving severe threats, to provoke a response from law enforcement or the shutdown of schools. These incidents can create significant safety concerns and waste valuable resources. The most recent cases across the state included images from Snapchat and TikTok with pictures of weapons and threats of future harm.

The Role of Social Media Resharing

A major issue contributing to this problem is the tendency for social media users to reshare posts without verifying their authenticity. Each time a post is reshared, it increases the likelihood of a new report being made to the police, exacerbating the situation. This repetitive sharing not only fuels the spread of misinformation but also places undue strain on our emergency services and school resources, and most  importantly, causes anxiety and fear for our students and staff.

How Can You Help?

We urge you to have a conversation with your children about the importance of not sharing or resharing unverified posts. Here are a few key points to discuss:

1. Verify: Encourage your child to verify the information from reliable sources and not to repost the information. If a friend of a friend forwarded a screenshot, or you do not know who the original creator is, the post is most likely from a cyber-swatting incident and reshared to cause a false report.

2. Impact of Resharing: Explain that resharing a post contributes to the spread of misinformation and can lead to unnecessary panic and emergency responses.

3. Report Concerns Appropriately: If your child encounters a concerning post or message, they should report it directly to the appropriate authorities or school officials rather than sharing it further.

4. Digital Citizenship: Teach your children, and model the same practices, about responsible social media use and the impact their actions can have on the community.

The Role of Parents, Students, and the District

While we can take steps within the school to address these issues, controlling what is shared on social media is beyond our capacity. The responsibility falls on parents and students to prevent the spread of false information. By not resharing posts and addressing concerns through proper channels, we can collectively work to reduce the frequency and impact of these disruptive incidents.

The District will continue to work with local and state authorities to investigate claims. We will also continue to maintain our security measures and provide support to our students and staff to alleviate the stress that swatting is causing in our schools.

Together, we can create a safer and more supportive environment for our students. Your cooperation and proactive measures in guiding your children through responsible social media use are crucial in combating this issue. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school administration.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued support. I recognize that this situation is frustrating and creates more questions; however, this is when we must come together to combat the outside forces trying to divide us. These threats are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any individual identified as creating or contributing to a threat to our school district will face immediate disciplinary action by the district, as well as all consequences that can be provided by law enforcement.

Sincerely,

Misty L. Slavic, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools