In 2018 we have seen a rash of school shootings unlike anything in recent American history. In Florida alone, not only was there the tragic February 14th shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, but another school shooting took place in Ocala in central Florida on April 20 as students were engaged in a walkout in protest of the recent spate of school shootings. Outside of Florida, the latest tragedy took place just days ago in Santa Fe, Texas, outside of Houston, in which ten people were killed. What this all adds up to is a nation in crisis as it relates to school shootings. Lawmakers in state capitals around the country are debating different solutions to the problem. Florida lawmakers acted in the wake of the Parkland shootings, passing legislation that expanded Florida law to make it a crime to make an electronic threat to commit a mass shooting or terrorist attack. In this environment, it is imperative that parents have a talk with their children about the responsible use of social media, in particular avoiding posting or sharing anything that could be construed as a threat to the well-being of another person.
Reactions to the Recent School Shootings by State and Local Lawmakers and Law Enforcement
Meanwhile, in the wake of the recent school shootings, both state and local law enforcement have stepped up surveillance of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms to get in front of the next possible school shooter. Any time anyone, but particularly a teenager or other school-aged child, posts something regarding a threatened school shooting or terrorist attack, this is being investigated by local, state and federal authorities, who are all on high alert due to recent events. Law enforcement is taking any threats regarding shootings, terrorism or the like posted on social media extremely seriously. The same is true of school officials, who are likely to pull a child out of class, call the police and then often severely discipline students for any threats they have made. Therefore, neither school officials, nor local, state, or federal authorities are going to accept an excuse that your child didn’t know what he or she was doing or that he or she was just joking when he Tweeted or re-posted a social media post threatening a school shooting. Instead, you may find your child facing criminal charges under either state or federal law that carry with them the possibility of years in prison—all for a simple Tweet or Facebook status update that your child meant as a joke.
Tips for Concerned Parents regarding Your Children’s Use of Social Media
Be wary of what your children are posting on social media. Not only might they run afoul of state laws forbidding the making of threats or posting content on social media, but they could swiftly draw unwanted attention from school administrators or local, state or federal authorities for those activities. In today’s climate, middle-schoolers and teenagers cannot be too careful about what they post on any form of social media. Therefore, if you are a parent with school-aged children, consider sitting them down and having a talk with them about the recent school shootings and why they need to take the utmost caution in what they post or share on social media. Doing otherwise could land them in a world of trouble unlike anything most middle- or high-schoolers could ever imagine facing.
Contact Experienced West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Attorney Bryan Raymond if Your Child is Being Investigated for or Charged with Making Online Threats in Palm Beach County, Florida
Experienced West Palm Beach juvenile defense attorney Bryan M. Raymond of the Law Office of Bryan Raymond has experience representing juvenile defendants in Palm Beach County. This includes violations of Florida’s laws against making threats to others. If your child has either inadvertently or without thinking posted or re-posted a social media message threatening violence of any kind and school officials have become involved or local, state or federal officials are investigating, you immediately need to retain an experienced juvenile criminal defense attorney to help protect your child’s interests and keep them out of jail. Therefore, if your son or daughter finds themselves in this situation due to a poor decision relating to their use of social media, immediately contact experienced criminal defense attorney Bryan Raymond today at (561) 682-1115 or [email protected].
