LIVINGSTON — After multiple threats were made to local schools on social media in recent weeks, Livingston Parish Public Schools and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that they are working to address the issue.

The school system has mandated all middle school and high school campuses to teach a lesson on the severe consequences of making threats, as well as the appropriate way to handle and report threatening material to authorities.

While these threats are often non-credible, officials said they "can create significant disruptions to learning and impact
the well-being of students and staff." 

"We want kids in class. We want kids learning. When kids are with us, we feel they're safe and in order for us to make sure that we reduce the attendance issues due to any of concern, we need to be proactive," Jody Purvis, Livingston School Superintendent, said.

"These threats also obligate law enforcement to detract from other concerns across the parish," officials added.

Superintendent Jody Purvis and Sheriff Jason Ard created a video that will be posted across various social media platforms informing the Livingston Parish community of how to appropriately deal with threatening materials. The video can be seen here. 

Livingston Parish Public Schools said people should not share or repost threats if they appear across their feeds. Officials added that children should report threats made to proper authorities or trusted adults.