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‘Not a joke:' Volusia County warns students about threats after 5 arrests since Parkland shooting

By Samantha Manning
By Samantha Manning
The violence and the threat of it in local schools has ignited outrage from Central Florida communities.
Crowds came out to downtown DeLand on Wednesday to speak about changing gun laws in the state and putting a stop to violence in schools.
Five students in the Volusia County School District have been criminally charged with making threats to school since the Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting last week. 
The latest includes a 16-year-old Mainland High School student accused of threatening to blow up the school. 
Photos: Students rally in Tallahassee for stricter gun laws
She’s facing felony charges. 
The other cases include three middle school students and another high school student.
"I'm definitely really disappointed that children are doing this,” said Emma Holder an eighth-grade student at St. Barnabas Episcopal. "Children should have a fine and happy childhood and not worry about having to go to school and wondering what day something could happen to them."
Read: Scott holds workshops to discuss school safety, gun laws
School district officials said when students make a bomb threat or a shooting threat, the principal is required to recommend expelling that student. 
It then goes before a committee, and the final decision is made by the school board.” 
"We're trying to help our students understand that their words have consequences,” said Nancy Wait of Volusia County schools. 
Read: Central Florida students stage walkout for school safety, gun control
Retired teacher Suze Peace said the key is finding out why these students are making these threats in the first place.
"Reassure them if they're being bullied or if they're unhappy in school, they need to reach out,” she said.
Orange and Seminole counties said the punishment for making threats varies on a case-by-case basis.
In the most serious cases, the student can be expelled or criminally charged.
Read: Girl arrested for threat that named Brevard County school

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