Apalachee School Shooting Creates a Tidal Wave of Copycat Threats

Written by Shelby Goldman | Sep 23, 2024 6:20:35 PM

DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, September 19, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- This past week, Gaggle, the leading provider of online behavior analysis for K-12 school districts, experienced an unprecedented surge in safety alerts nationwide, with alerts related to school threats increasing by over 325% following the Apalachee High School shooting. Five of the eight highest recorded days for school emergency safety alerts in the past five years occurred last week, impacting over 220 school districts. Many of these threats have been tied to alarming posts and conversations on social media platforms.

The rise in critical alerts highlights the growing role of digital communication in identifying potential school safety risks. According to Gaggle’s latest student safety data, threats of violence have steadily risen, with incidents related to violence increasing by 22% during the 2023-2024 school year. With Gaggle’s monitoring and alert system, these reports are verified and flagged for action, ensuring that potential threats are swiftly and effectively addressed before they escalate.

“Gaggle’s priority is to keep students safe by providing schools with real-time insights and alerts into potential safety risks,” said Jeff Patterson, CEO of Gaggle. “We’ve seen an alarming rise in threats related to school violence, and we’re proud to be a trusted partner in helping districts keep their schools safe. It’s crucial that schools have the resources and tools they need to act quickly.”

Gaggle provides schools with the insights and tools needed to manage these situations, helping maintain a sense of safety and stability during challenging times. They continuously monitor student communication—via email, chat, and shared documents—to identify safety risks such as threats of violence, bullying, and self-harm. In the 2023-2024 school year alone, Gaggle flagged over 438,510 incidents, issuing 23,258 emergency alerts to schools.

Even when threats don’t materialize, the atmosphere of heightened concern can create anxiety among both students and staff. This is why Gaggle also provides proactive services like Gaggle Therapy and ReachOut, a crisis support and tipline. Through these combined services, Gaggle empowers school districts to respond effectively, intervene early, and help prevent dangerous situations before they escalate.

For more information on how Gaggle helps schools manage student safety, please visit www.gaggle.net.

 


About Gaggle
Gaggle is the pioneer in helping K-12 districts manage student safety on school-provided technology. Using a powerful combination of machine learning and trained safety experts, Gaggle provides real-time analysis and review of students' use of online collaboration platforms, such as Google's G Suite for Education, Microsoft Office 365, and Canvas. Gaggle has been helping districts save lives, improve student mental health, and avoid tragedies since 1999.

MEDIA CONTACT
Shelby Goldman
Vice President of Marketing, Gaggle
media@gaggle.net