JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – News4JAX is digging deeper into the number of threats involving Duval County schools.
Data requested by News4JAX from Duval County Public Schools reveals which schools top the list and the age of the students involved in making the threats.
The numbers relate to any threat that triggered a Code Red lockdown, a police search, or a threat prompting extra security on campus during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years.
Data for the 2022-2023 school year was not available at the time of our request, according to the district.
High Schools: 2021-2022
86 threats were reported at 17 high schools. These schools top the list:
- Riverside and Terry Parker: 12 threats
- Sandalwood: 9 threats
- First Coast High: 8 threats
- Edward H. White and Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology: 7 threats
4 of the 6 high schools also topped the list during the previous school year, 2020-2021:
- Terry Parker and Sandalwood: 10 threats
- First Coast: 6 threats
- Edward H. White: 5 threats
Middle Schools:
You may be surprised to learn the data shows there were more school threats involving middle schools in Duval County than high schools during the 2021-2022 school year.
133 threats were made at 22 middle schools that year. The schools topping the list, 2021-2022:
- Lake Shore: 15 threats
- Mandarin: 14 threats
- Young Men’s/Young Women’s Leadership Academy: 12 threats
- Fletcher: 9 threats
The data also includes the ages of students involved in making school threats. Many of the threats were made by middle school-aged students:
Age of student involved in threat: 2021-2022
- Age 10: 34 threats
- Age 11: 32 threats
- Age 12: 35 threats
- Age 13: 49 threats*
- Age 14: 56 threats*
- Age 15: 32 threats
- Age 16: 28 threats
* Students aged 13-14 years old were involved in the most threats during the 2021-2022 school year.
We also requested information about the gender of students involved in making threats against a school. During the 2021-2022 school year, there were a total of 327 threats. Of those threats, 273 were made by male students and 53 were made by female students.
The district did not include in its response to our request how many of the school threats led to an arrest.
RELATED: New school security system immediately notifies police about threats on Duval County campuses
We hope parents can use this information as a launching point to talk with their students about the seriousness of making threats on campus and on social media, along with the importance of always reporting anything suspicious.
To report a school threat or other security tip, DCPS asks you to use FortifyFL.
To report bullying or harassment, you can use the bullying hotline 904-390-CALL (2255).
For any other concerns, see the Student Safety page.