Report, Don’t Repost!

Spring has sprung! With state testing right around the corner, PVSchools wants to draw attention to its “Report, Don’t Repost” campaign, which launched earlier this month. 

During the fall and spring, it's common for school districts to see an uptick in social media threats/hoaxes, and PVSchools wanted to take a proactive approach by launching a campaign to address this rising issue.

With approximately 26,000 students across forty-one schools, the district aims to foster a culture of awareness, responsibility, and trust within the community. This campaign is driven by the widespread nature of social media threats that tend to increase at the start of the school year, during state testing, and around the anniversaries of school tragedies.

The district recognizes that anonymized social media threats—regardless of intent—have significant & detrimental effects, including disruptions to learning, increased absenteeism, a strain on resources, and a psychological impact that stirs up feelings of anxiety & fear within communities. 

Throughout the campaign, PVSchools will let families and community members know the steps the district, schools, and local police departments take to investigate each threat, provide reassurance, and communicate accurate information in a timely manner. 

Because the goal of the campaign is to mitigate the disruption and fear caused by social media threats within PVSchools, five key messages will be used to reach our students, families and staff through newsletters, social media posts, podcasts, and more. 

Key messages: 

• Report, Don’t Repost
  • See a threat online? Report it, don't repost it! Help keep our school safe by reporting threats directly to school officials or law enforcement. 
  • Reposting only spreads fear and misinformation.
• Be the HERO
  • Be the hero! See a threat? Don't share it, report it! Your actions can save lives.
• The Joke is NOT a Joke
  • Think before you post! That 'joke' about a school threat could have serious real-world consequences.
• Do You Know What Your Kids Are Posting?
  • Do you know what your kids are posting? Stay informed and keep them safe. Talk about online responsibility and the serious consequences of threats.
• Stay Informed, Stay Calm, Stay Put
  • School threat circulating online? Stay informed, stay calm, stay put. We prioritize your child's safety and communicate transparently. Check school channels for updates, and trust us to handle the situation. Refrain from spreading unverified information or disrupting school operations.
  • The school or district, in conjunction with the police department, will guide students and parents on the next steps. 

Social media has become a platform where harmful messages can spread rapidly and have a significant impact, extending far beyond a confined area. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency recognizes this issue, calling social media the new “bathroom wall in schools," but with a much wider reach. Misinformation can worsen these problems, making clear communication even more crucial. To address this, PVSchools has launched the Report, Don't Repost campaign to keep the community informed and safe.