MSD Safety Practices on Student Threats

(Spanish) When a  student threatens harm to self or others or exhibits threatening behavior or acts of violence, including threats to damage school property, MSD follows district policy JFCM, which addresses threats against students, staff or school property.

• What happens when a student makes a threat?

  • Law enforcement and/or school safety personnel are contacted when any form of weapon is involved with the threat or it is specific or otherwise seems credible or imminent.
  • The student who made the threat is removed from class.
  • An evaluation, including the need for a threat assessment, is conducted by school administrators and may also involve law enforcement, school safety specialists, the principal, counselor, licensed mental health professional or others.
  • The student’s family will be notified and informed of any disciplinary action.
  • The student is subject to discipline up to and including expulsion.

• What is a threat assessment?

  A threat assessment is a fact-based, systematic process designed to identify, inquire, assess, and manage potentially dangerous or violent situations. A key goal is to distinguish between an individual who makes a threat versus one who poses a threat. These assessments were developed by law enforcement in partnership with the Oregon Department of Education, the Willamette Education Service District, and other educational institutions and school districts.

• What happens when law enforcement gets involved?

  The current practice of the McMinnville Police Department, in cooperation with the Yamhill County Juvenile Department, is to arrest any person they have probable cause to believe committed the crime of disorderly conduct related to threats against schools, students or school personnel. It is likely that in addition to being arrested, responsible parties will be lodged in juvenile detention or, if an adult, in the Yamhill County Jail.

• What is “disorderly conduct”?

  ORS 166.025 Oregon Revised Statutes: A person commits the crime of disorderly conduct in the second degree if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, the person: Initiates or circulates a report, knowing it to be false, concerning an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, catastrophe or other emergency. Disorderly conduct in the second degree is a Class B misdemeanor.

• What if I hear about a threat?

  If the threat is imminent, please dial 911. If you don’t believe it’s an immediate threat, please call the school or district immediately if during school hours. If after hours, please call local law enforcement or SafeOregon, which allows anyone to report a safety concern anonymously by calling or texting 844.472.3367. SafeOregon is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and tips are immediately routed to local law enforcement and/or school safety personnel. Even if you aren’t sure if a threat is serious, please call to make a report so it can be evaluated.

• What else can we do?

  Report, and stop the share are easy steps to take when you see a threat online.  

  • Report: to law enforcement, a school official, or SafeOregon.  
  • Stop the share: Don’t react, don’t like, don’t share on social media. 
  • If you are the target of an online threat, call your local law enforcement immediately
  • McMinnville Police Department Non-Emergency 503.434.6500
  • Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Non-Emergency 503.434.6500

  If you see a threat of violence posted online, contact local law enforcement or call 1.800.CALL.FBI. You can also submit information online to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.

  Use SafeOregon by calling or sending a text to 844.472.3367 anytime. Tips also can be emailed to tip@safeoregon.com or through the SafeOregon app.

  Remember – a hoax threat is no joke. Think before you post.

• Why don’t families hear details on the threat or the student(s) involved?

  Student disciplinary actions fall under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which means student discipline may not be disclosed.