FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Williamson County is starting a new school year Friday, and this year, district leaders and law enforcement are putting an even bigger emphasis on student safety. They want parents to know that school safety is really a community effort.
The county released videos titled 'Time to Talk'to help parents have difficult conversations with their children. The videos go over school safety, school resource officers, drugs, sexting, sextortion, and threats.
During the past year in Williamson County there have been 250 student threats, resulting in about 45 arrests. 117 students were disciplined for drug-related reasons.
The sheriff's office investigated 30 cases involving sexual images or videos on cell phones. About a dozen of those involved sextortion.
Sheriff Dusty Rhoades said all of these incidents are taken seriously and parents need to express to their children the very serious consequences of these things.
"Parents, you have to have these talks with your children. And don't be afraid to ask for their cell phones. What is more important? Your child's privacy or your child's safety and future?" said Rhoades.
The county has 66 school resource officers stationed across its 52 schools. They have been trained to really get involved in the schools, so students feel comfortable about coming to them with any problems. The district is urging students to think ahead about who they trust at school, so they know who to go to if something concerning comes up.
If anyone has heard anything or seen something on social media or even written on the bathroom stall, it is important to report threats directly to the school or sheriff's office. The Williamson County Sheriff's Office said it checks the credibility of threats before the next school day, it does not matter if it came in at 11 a.m. or 11 p.m.
Greg Mays, the Tennessee Director of Homeland Security, said reporting a threat has proven it could save lives.
"It's important to remember the research tells us a couple of key things, close to 80 percent of school shooters told somebody they were going to commit an act of violence before they did it. And, research says we need to create an environment in our schools that is welcoming to threat reporting," said Mays.
Officials are reminding parents and students that there is a new Zero Tolerance law when it comes to threats. A student who makes any type of mass threat will have to go to an alternative school.
