By Mary Goldmeer
Mail | Independent Newsmedia

The Liberty Elementary School District recently hosted a school safety forum with guest speakers from the Maricopa County Sheriffs Department, Buckeye Police Department and Goodyear Police Department.

Gathered in the Blue Horizon Elementary School cafeteria, community members submitted questions to the public officials about worst case scenarios and proactive plans.

According to LESD Superintendent Dr. Cort Monroe, on Monday, Sept. 9, LESD dealt with a potential verbal threat reported at Blue Horizon. After staff investigating the threat, it was determined to be unfounded.

The following day, Buckeye Police Department reached out to LESD about unrelated social media threats made to their feeder high school district, Buckeye Unified High School District. Those reported threats were also found to be misplaced.

The neighboring threats in overlapping communities resulted in miscommunication online and parental concern. According Monroe, this concern and miscommunication was caused by well-intended community members spreading inaccurate information online.

“In this day and age, the (communication) deadline is all the time,” said school board president Michael Todd.

Monroe said communication happens as quickly as possible, but the district will continue to prioritize unity with law enforcement and accurate information over speed when in communication to parents and caretakers.

Goodyear Police Chief Brain Issitt asked community members to report any threats to law enforcement instead of reposting the content online. Issitt said reporting the threat makes tracking its origin easier and less labor intensive.

With school violence on the rise, safety is a concern. The Center for Homeland Defense and Security lists 80 shooting incidents at K-12 Schools between January 1970 and June 2022 in Arizona, threats of violence in schools are common in comparison.

When threats happen, LEUSD goes through investigative process, vetting conversational evidence, and then updating law enforcement with their findings, regardless of if the school district finds the threat to be valid or not.

After the most recent incident, Dr. Stephanie Mohorne, LESD assistant superintendent of support services, said the policy will be updated so school officials will be alerting law enforcement at the start of investigations as well as with their end results.

“We consider all school threats credible,” Buckeye Police Chief Bob Sanders said.

Law enforcement agencies determine the validity of an incoming threat against a school from a student through determining if the child has access to a weapon and through the student’s behavioral history.

Schools in LESD practice for emergency situations through a lock down and lock out method where staff shuts down the campus completely, locking hallways, bathrooms, offices and classrooms. Educators are required to cover any windows, barricade doors and direct students to hide from sight.

“We are committed to having an officer in every school,” Issitt said.

School safety officers and school resource officers are resources funded through grants or through the Department of Education for schools that meet specific requirements and are found more frequently in high school settings.

“Investing in our youth is investing in our future,” Issitt said.