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.
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."
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.”
On 2-21-18, @DBCops1 arrested a 16-year-old Mainland High School girl for threatening to "blow up' the school. DBPD investigators tracked down the suspect. immediately. Remember. THIS IS NOT A JOKE. You WILL be prosecuted.
— Daytona Beach Police (@DaytonaBchPD) February 22, 2018
"We're trying to help our students understand that their words have consequences,” said Nancy Wait of Volusia County schools.
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.
Cox Media Group
