PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A little more than a month into the school year, threats of violence are constantly keeping law enforcement busy.
10 Tampa Bay reached out to agencies to find out exactly what they're dealing with:
- In Pinellas - there have been 65 threats and three arrests.
- In Sarasota County- more than 100 tips and three arrests.
- In Polk County - 140 threat assessments and two dozen arrests.
- In Hillsborough County-there have been 260 threats in September alone.
- In Pasco County, the sheriff's office said there have been more than 100 "school threat" related calls in the last two weeks.
The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said they've made five arrests in the past two weeks.
Jeaneth Reinoso has two children in Pasco County Schools. She said school threats are getting out of hand and she's making plans to put her kids in Florida Virtual School.
While this school year has been exciting for Reinoso's family, it's also been nerve-racking.
This school year, Pasco County schools have been the target of several school threats, many on social media.
“Parents we need your help. Please talk to your children about the severe consequences of making threats even if they're a joke,” Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning said.
“They have to be aware of not only that it's consequential to them but for their families but the kids who attend the schools as well,” Reinoso said.
Reinoso said these threats weigh heavily on her two boys.
“You're not allowed to have phones in schools, but you have your kids going against the rules, calling, texting, 'Mom come pick me up something's not right. I don't want to be here, I'm afraid,'” Reinoso said.
These messages raised her anxiety.
“I'm trying to be in five different places at once in a sense because not only am I thinking about him, but I'm thinking about his brother,” Reinoso said.
So, she's looking into other options like Florida Virtual School.
“It's something that I didn't want to do,” Reinoso said.
Reinoso believes this change will challenge her boys.
“I do work from home; I do have a schedule where I'm kind of just on the phone throughout the day. There's going to be times where I'm going to need you to focus on your own,” Reinoso said.
Reinoso said it's what her family thinks is best.
“Is it so important that my kids are going to school or is it more important that I get to see them every day?" Reinoso said.
Pasco County Schools is just one of many districts encouraging students to think before posting. They also want families to report any concerning behavior they see online.