School threat hoaxes have been a recurring issue this first month of school throughout New York state.

Law enforcement across New York has been vigilant, sending out press releases and posting to social media about school violence threat hoaxes.

What You Need To Know

  • State law enforcement agents are informing the public of numerous school threat hoaxes

  • In some cases, teens have been arrested for making false threats

  • Some threats are believed to have been generated overseas, officials say

One expert says it is problematic for resources, community, students and the heightened anxiety it causes. 

“The more fake ones we have, are we going to pay less attention to something and perhaps miss something that may actually be a real threat?” said Amanda Nickerson, a psychology professor at the University at Buffalo and member of the Regional Gun Violence Consortium at the Rockefeller Institute of Government.

Nickerson said to talk to your kids at an age-appropriate level. Ask them questions and listen to what they say. Then explain why law enforcement has to react and how they can be responsible with what they do and say, especially on social media. Talk about what a joke is and what is not a joke. And teach them what is appropriate to say.

"A lot of it is because of these events, tragic events that have happened, but a lot of it is because we have really raised anxiety today as well," said Nickerson. "We’re taking things a lot more seriously, so please know that there are consequences.”