CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi Independent School District said the end of the year usually comes with an increase in rumors and posts on social media that may come off as threatening.
Earlier this week, a video involving the senior class of Veterans Memorial High School circulated social media, that some viewers and students perceived could be a threat.
CCISD Police Chief Kirby Warnke said it wasn’t a direct threat, but they investigated the incident and involved the Corpus Christi Police Department.
Warnke said after the tragedy in Uvalde, they’re especially sensitive to information students are posting online.
“Sometimes something that seems more innocuous in the middle of the year is less so, now,” he said.
The CCISD PD actively investigates every incident if it is a perceived threat, Warnke said.
Warnke added for it to be a criminal violation, the student has to say they are intending to do harm, but sometimes it is challenging to distinguish.
“The vague, kind of veiled, analogous statement is a little more harder, so you dive in. Find out, is there a pattern? Has this been happening? Has a person been doing outcries? Is there things you need to look at? You take all that into consideration,” he said.
A student can face terroristic threat or assault charges if the post is an actual threat, Warnke said.
If it’s not an actual threat, the student can still face consequences with the school’s administration.
He added sometimes, they look at a student’s social media.
Some parents like Sandra Montemayor, who has children in their thirties said social media has changed over the years.
She said some schools need to monitor online posts more often.
“I don’t think that they should wait for the police or anything to investigate because sometimes they’re not as timely as you would like them to be,” Montemayor said.
