When will it end?

The last few weeks saw an unprecedented rise in bomb threats targeting Australian schools – numerous across VIC and NSW including more than 20 in SA alone. The AFP were able to determine the culprits were a variety of parties unknown to each other, including some boys in QLD and a young man in France who had been doing the same thing to schools in Ireland, US, UK and other countries across the world. Fortunately, no one has been harmed, at least not physically, that has been reported.

However, only a few minutes ago did I see yet another threat, this time at a primary school in Wangaratta:

Harm is not only physical but emotional – what impact do these threats have on the peace of mind of these students? How can these scenarios be improved? Most importantly, are these schools and parents aware of what is available today to improve them?

If your local school does not have the correct procedures or systems in place, such as a School Guardian, please raise awareness with them to ensure they are not an Australian school cautionary tale.

In the meantime, here’s some tips on how to speak to your children about these hoaxes: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/school-bomb-threats-how-to-talk-to-your-children-about-them/news-story/358d842a1fd2a66ce9f5dc09417231d9#load-story-comments