'When Is Enough': Some Woodland Parents Keep Children Home After Two Schools Receive Online Threats
WOODLAND (CBS13) – Days following a Texas school shooting, schools everywhere are increasing police presence — including Woodland Joint Unified School District after receiving social media threats.
First, the Texas massacre shocked Yolanda Silva. Then, an online threat targeted her son's school, Gibson Elementary. The other was Douglass Middle School.
Silva says it's not the first alleged threat, so she kept her kids home from school Thursday.
The mother of two asked, "When is enough?" She's not alone.
Samantha Villegas did the same. Last night, the mother of three bought bulletproof backpack inserts.
"I thought you know what? Let me fork out the money," Villegas said. "Hopefully, we'll never have to use it."
Woodland police boosted security patrols after receiving calls about several TikToks. A screen grab shows names of parents and students which CBS13 blurred out of privacy.
Yet, it's the final TikTok that unnerved parents. The implication to them – their child's school is next.
Woodland police determined the threats to be non-credible.
"We take every item like this very serious because you never know what item could or couldn't be credible," said spokesperson Sgt. Victoria Danzl.
There's an online petition demanding stronger security at woodland schools.
When threats are made against schools and perpetrators are caught, there are consequences.
Criminal attorneys say punishment varies by age and crime severity for children unless 18.
In the case of a second grader bringing a gun and loaded magazine to a south Sacramento school, Jennifer Mouzis says it's the parents who could be charged with child neglect.
"It can get more serious if it were more intentional but most parents in these situations perhaps would be more negligent than intentional," said the attorney.
Back in Woodland, the district said it takes all threats seriously and is working with officers to keep schools safe.
Just yesterday, Silva held her sons tightly during drop-off.
"I gave him an extra hug – really tight. told them, 'I loved them,'" Silva said.
Now, she's not sure when she's sending her boys back to school.
