Safe2Tell, Colorado’s prevention program for students and community members to report safety concerns, has reported a staggering 74% increase in reports during September 2024. This surge, encompassing threats to schools and mental health issues, highlights the program’s significance in ensuring student safety. The Colorado Attorney General's Office indicated a record-breaking 4,729 reports last month, marking the highest number since February. “This past month highlights exactly why the Safe2Tell program is so critical, to prevent the worst-case scenarios from happening to Colorado students,” Attorney General Phil Weiser said, as noted by the Office of the Attorney General. The importance of facilitating a way for students to proactively address concerns cannot be understated.
The most commonly reported issues were suicide threats, bullying, and safety concerns involving school staff, according to the monthly report by the Attorney General’s office. School threats saw an increase with 239 reports, while planned school attacks counted for 193. A troubling trend, however, was a rise in false reports, which made up 2.1% of all reports this year. These reports are especially concerning, considering they contain untrue information and often aim to harm or bully other individuals. Despite these, the platform’s role in maintaining safety is undebatable. For instance, a person reported an incident where a knife was thrown at a student, leading to swift intervention by local teams, as stated by the Colorado Attorney General's Office.
Social media's role is at the forefront of concerns, with misinformation leading to a significant number of duplicate reports. School threats spread across platforms can be quickly disseminated and interpreted as applying to different schools, further complicating Safe2Tell’s efforts. “We typically see an uptick in reporting after a tragedy like the one in Georgia, as students become more vigilant,” explained Safe2Tell Director Stacey Jenkins, according to the Office of the Attorney General. The recurrent advice is to communicate directly to a trusted adult or utilize the Safe2Tell reporting channels instead of reposting the information online.
Local law enforcement has also been directly involved, exemplified by a case where a student's social media post about explosives resulted in their arrest and a follow-up by local authorities. Safe2Tell offers multiple channels for reporting, including a hotline, 1-877-542-7233, their website, text messages, and a mobile app available for download, allowing for anonymous reporting 24/7. These tools have proven indispensable for connecting concerned citizens with local law enforcement and school officials, as mandated by state law, to prevent potential crises in Colorado schools.
