To the editor:
Here are important safety tips for parents, guardians and school supporters.
Every day, thousands of students attend school across our Florida Keys. And while school is a place for learning and growth, it is crucial for everyone to feel safe and secure.
School safety is not just the responsibility of teachers and staff. It is something in which each one of us plays a part. We are committed to providing a safe environment for all. We appreciate the trust you place in us to keep our campuses and classrooms secure for learning. When attending activities or participating in events on one of our school campuses, fields, properties or in a school transportation, safety is everyone’s responsibility.
- If you notice something that doesn’t seem quite right, makes you feel uneasy or seems out of place, speak up and tell a trusted adult.
Report suspicious activities by immediately talking to an administrator or a school resource officer or through the use of anonymous reporting tools like our School Text Tips or the Fortify Florida link found on all school Chromebooks and all Monroe County District websites. These digital platforms allow students, parents and community members to anonymously report suspicious or potentially dangerous activities related to schools. It is a vital tool for maintaining school safety, preventing violence from someone who may want to harm themselves or others. Remember to report safety concerns immediately. Someone’s life could be at risk.
- Now, an important and serious reminder of what NOT to do.
Fortify Florida is not for jokes and should not be used to submit false reports as pranks, to retaliate against others, or to misuse these tools to spread rumors or misinformation. Tips that are sent through Fortify Florida are taken very seriously. Joking around or submitting false reports can mean serious illegal trouble, including being charged with a crime that could lead to jail time. These are not the topics that anyone considers funny or playful. They waste valuable resources and create unnecessary fear. Parents may also face consequences if their child misuses Fortify Florida.
- Now, listen to and share this next important note with your loved ones:
Anyone who communicates a threat to kill, do great bodily harm, conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism in a way that another person can view it, is committing a second-degree felony. This includes threats via text, email and social media. It doesn’t matter if you do not have any intent or ability to carry out the threat. Merely communicating a threat is enough to warrant a felony charge. This also includes threats to use a bomb or other destructive device with an attempt to harm people or property. All reports are investigated and a false report could lead to further examination. Even if the tip was shared anonymously, if it is found that any person, parent or child knowingly submitted a false tip through Fortify Florida or any other tip reporting tool that involved school or school personnel’s property, school transportation, or a school- sponsored activity, information on the actual device used to make the claim will be provided to law enforcement, and the person may be subject to criminal penalties. You are accountable for what you report, even anonymously. All threats will be taken seriously and will result in severe consequences up to and including arrest, restitution and expulsion. Some other consequences could prohibit attendance at and participation in school activities or functions like games or performances on any campus in the district, or even the inability to graduate with friends.
Parents are urged to discuss these important issues with their children. False threats, even if intended as a joke, can result in life-altering consequences. When speaking to your child about posting on social media or falsely reporting a threat, remember to tell them it’s no joke.
- Parents, here’s one more quick final reminder.
Please keep your contact information up to date with your school’s front office so you can receive any important information from the school or district in a timely fashion. Important information will also be shared through our MCSD websites and social media outlets.
Thank you for your part as we continue working together for the protection and care of our Monroe County schools, promoting comprehensive school safety and harm prevention in every school, every day.
– Alfredo Vasquez, director of safety and security for Monroe County schools, and Daliana Goins, threat management and harm prevention coordinator
