According to a Threats to Schools law that went into effect on October 1, 2016 that was championed by Sen Tony Hwang (R-28), certain school threats in Connecticut are considered felonies which would result in a prison sentence. When passed over five years ago in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, the new law received overwhelming bipartisan support and was backed by local school superintendents, law enforcement officials, and parents. Sen Hwang introduced this concept as SB 246, which was folded into HB 5400 and passed as PA 16-67.

Last week, eight New Haven schools, one school in Hamden, and another in Norwich were impacted by a series of phoned-in and social media threats. Additionally, Norwalk’s High School experienced three gun threats in an eight day period, and Ansonia schools shut down due to a threat this week. These threats caused schools to go into a lockdown and some to close for multiple school days. While none of the threats were deemed credible after investigations, they all created disruptions at the respective schools, according to authorities.

Hwang (R-28) noted that school lockdowns and evacuations can have lasting traumatic and psychological consequences on the children and adults who endure them.

“Threats of violence against our schools are serious and felonious crimes,” said Hwang. “They are legally treated differently than our ‘threatening’ statutes. These threats to our schools via calls, emails, and social media cause deep psychological traumas to students, teachers, and parents. This disruption, combined with the unsettling challenges of managing Covid school safety, has added to the mental health crisis throughout our community, especially our young adults.”

Suspects in many of these recent threat incidents are 15 years old or younger, meaning that while they can still be charged, the process will be managed in the juvenile court system.

“While I am incredibly grateful that these recent incidents turned out to be only pranks, state and local law enforcement and judiciary officials are setting a dangerous precedent if these offenders are not prosecuted to the fullest extent under current law, to reinforce the serious danger and “zero tolerance” of these threats against schools, children, and teachers. Student behavior and copycat actions can spread like wildfire with social media, unless a demonstrated and forceful criminal investigation and arrest and punishment of perpetrators occurs. Everyone must understand the heavy consequences they will face if they make a game out of school safety. The message is clear — this is not a funny prank or a harmless call for attention; there is “zero tolerance” for threats against schools. It is a crime and you will be caught and punished.”

By law, 1st degree threatening includes threats to commit a violent crime or a crime using a hazardous substance, with intent to cause, or with reckless disregard of the risk of causing evacuation of a building, place of assembly, or public transportation facility; serious public inconvenience for hazardous substance crimes; or terror.

The bill increases the penalty for such first-degree threatening, from a class D felony to a class C felony, if the threat was made with intent to cause the evacuation of a building or the grounds of a public or private preschool, school, or higher education institution during instructional hours or when the facility or the grounds are being used for school- or institution-sponsored activities.

A class D felony is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. A class C felony is punishable by imprisonment for one to 10 years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

A person is guilty of second-degree threatening when he or she by physical threat, intentionally places or attempts to cause someone to fear imminent serious physical injury or threatens to commit a violent crime with intent to terrorize someone or in reckless disregard of the risk of doing so.

The bill, which can be reviewed at www.cga.ct.gov/2014/rpt/pdf/2014-R-0282.pdf, increases the penalty for this crime from a class A misdemeanor (punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to $2,000, or both) to a class D felony, if the threatened person was in the building or on the grounds of such a school facility during instructional hours or when the facility or the grounds is being used for school- or institution-sponsored activities.