by Kate Shunney
Threats of violence at more than 45 West Virginia schools last week disrupted learning and spread fear in communities around the state and has triggered the formation of a new governor’s taskforce to respond to the phenomenon.
Online threats or comments about alleged threats were directed at Berkeley Springs High School on Monday, September 9 and then at Warm Springs Intermediate and Middle schools on Tuesday, September 10. Morgan County Schools officials worked with local law enforcement to assess the credibility of threats. 
Normal school schedules were followed both days, but some families opted to keep students home in light of the online comments.
Law enforcement locally determined there was no credible threat to Morgan County schools, but also confirmed the did find a firearm near the high school campus in Berkeley Springs tied to an out-of-school incident from the prior week.
School systems in neighboring Berkeley County and Frederick County, Va. also reported safety threats during the early part of last week.
Governor Jim Justice last Thursday, September 12 “directed state agencies to act in a coordinated manner to diligently investigate social media posts and warnings circulating in communities across the state.”
Gov. Justice asked The West Virginia Department of Homeland Security to establish a comprehensive task force to address the trend.
“The newly created School Safety Task Force is actively compiling and analyzing all reported school threats by county, educational institution, and Safe Schools Unit Region to ensure a thorough and coordinated response,” the governor’s office said.
The School Safety Task Force is made up of the following agencies:
–West Virginia Fusion Center
–West Virginia State Police (WVSP)
–West Virginia Safe Schools Unit
–WVSP – West Virginia Intelligence Exchange (WVIX)
–Federal Law Enforcement Partners
–West Virginia Department of Education
–West Virginia Prevention Resource Officer Program.
State officials said they are also enlisting the help of county prosecutors to “identify all arrests and juvenile petitions related to school threats that have been filed.”
“This data collection is critical to ensuring a swift and transparent legal process is in place for those who threaten the safety of our schools,” said the governor’s office.
“To enhance real-time communication, a communication connect room is being established to provide a centralized hub for all School Safety Task Force partners. This platform will be activated in the event of a critical incident, ensuring immediate coordination and response across agencies. The task force is also committed to sharing all relevant information with our partners to ensure a unified and effective approach to school safety,” state officials said.
Reporting a Threat
The West Virginia Department of Homeland Security reminds all West Virginians to immediately call 911 if there is an immediate danger or law enforcement intervention is necessary.
Additionally, West Virginia has partnered with My Mobile Witness to implement a “see something, send something” reporting system that can be completed on a smartphone or other mobile device using the app.
