School threat shakes students and staff

There was a threat of violence made to CVHS on Sep. 21. Sheriffs and administrators took the threat seriously, investigating it as soon as they heard the news, but didn’t  inform students, staff, or families until the next day, when some students and staff were already at school. The CVHS administration sent out an email the following day confirming that the threat was a rumor. 

CVHS has four different levels of shelter-in-place, depending on whether there is a potential threat or an active threat. They also have protocols for a soft lockdown, which is used if there is a threat nearby, but not on campus. And an “ACTION: GO HOME” protocol which requires superintendent approval. This threat luckily did not utilize any of the more serious protocols and most resembled a soft lockdown or Level 1 shelter-in-place. No action was called, but students and staff did try their best to remain in place and limit motion around campus. 

This threat caused anxiety to the students, staff and parents of students at CVHS who were not made aware of the progress of the investigation of the threat. 

“I didn’t feel safe. I am always …overthink]ing] a lot. I was very aware of my surroundings. That day [there was] twice as much pressure on me while I was at school and I was very scared,” said Maggie Rodas.

For many on campus, the only information that most people were given came from other people, many of whom got it from other second handed sources. Little was provided from the school about what was happening and the progress of the investigation. 

At the staff meeting regarding the threat, staff commented that rumors, which circulated on campus and on social media, caused confusion. 

“There were actually several different threats, but only one of them had to do with our campus. But they got tangled up, because as people told them, they heard something different, it was like a game of telephone,” said AVID coordinator and science teacher Laura O’Brien.

The administration has said that they shared all of the information that they could. 

“The email was sent when we had confirmed information. We didn’t want to send out false information. We responded with the appropriate information for the situation,” said CVHS Principal Christopher Fortenberry. 

Administrators had their hands tied with what they could and could not tell concerned students, staff, and family meant that they could not dispel rumors and clarify what was happening. The onslaught of social media posts that were sent around caused more anxiety and unreliable information to spread rapidly. O’Brien thought that it would be good for administration, in the event that this happened again, to have a designated person to handle communication. 

“But if you have somebody reading those and seeing that there’s common concerns or questions coming out, that person’s job could be to put out frequently asked questions, investigation is underway. Here’s, you know, here’s what we can share so far, here’s what we’re doing in school to keep your students safe,” she said. 

The administration does have a Public Information Officer (PIO) that is deemed as the contact for news sources and staff members in cases of emergency. Their job is to contact parents, staff, and anyone who may be involved with an emergency and help with rumor control by correcting staff and clarifying what they are authorized to do. On the CVHS Comprehensive School Safety Plan it is said that they are one of the assistant principals. 

Improving the connection between administrators and families in times of emergency can dispel lots of anxiety and assure them that their student is being well taken care of and that safety is remaining of the utmost priority. 

While threats of school violence have become normalized within our society currently, it is still important to note the trauma and fear that it can cause in the people who live through these events. 

“I feel like it was really weird for everyone to just be like, ‘Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just another thing.’ Like it’s not just another fire alarm going off, [it’s] something that can affect a lot of us,” said Rodas. 

Recognizing that there are resources that can and will help people get through their anxieties and trauma, O’Brien thinks, is something that the administration should promote more. The Wellness Center includes many different hotlines for students, staff, and parents who may be feeling stress or anxiety over the events on Sep. 21. They are also open every day during school hours should any student feel they need support. 

CVUSD strongly emphasizes that for the safety of all students and staff that should you hear of any threat or suspicious activity that you report it to the tip line: (510) 340-9763. They also request that you include as much information as you have available to you.