DES MOINES, Iowa — Threats to schools in Iowa have been heightened over the past year, and the decrease in these threats is not quite yet in sight.
The Governor's School Safety Bureau, a branch of the Iowa Department of Public Safety working to prevent school violence, says this school year is off to a 'disappointing' start.
11 arrests have already been made this school year, that number already higher than the total arrests last school year.
"For the start of the school year, it's been a little bit alarming," said Matthew Anderson, a Special Agent in charge of the Governor's School Safety Bureau.
The bureau says social media threats are the biggest contributor so far, and also the biggest concern.
"It seems as though maybe kids are believing that their social media posts are okay to say whatever they want, and it's not," Anderson said. "Especially when it's a school threat."
So far this year, 22 school threats in Iowa have been reported to the bureau through its 'Safe and Sound' program.
The program allows students, school staff, parents and community members to submit school safety concerns anonymously using an app or its website.
Additionally, 25 school threats have been reported to the bureau this year from law enforcement.
"As a whole, and even for our nation, there's no disputing that we've got to protect our most valuable resources," Anderson said.
In the 2023-24 school year, 300 school threats were made to Iowa schools. That is a number the bureau says Iowa in on track to top this school year.
The School Safety Bureau says it plans to stop this number from increasing by educating parents, opening communications and offering as many resources to report and train as possible.
"We don't want to be in a state of panic or fear, especially when it comes to our schools," Anderson said. "So making sure that we're preparing the best we can is the is the way for us to approach that responsibly."
Currently, the School Safety Bureau is working to put more emergency radios into schools, on top of continuing outreach to schools to offer more resources.