Tipton County Schools reports 19 threat assessments this semester; 8 deemed credible

The Tipton County Schools board received its quarterly threat-assessment report showing 19 total assessments for the semester: 10 in the first nine weeks (five deemed credible) and nine in the second nine weeks (three deemed credible), for a semester total of 19 assessments and eight deemed credible.

Presenters said the district coordinates with Homeland Security and five local law-enforcement agencies when assessments require it; law enforcement was engaged or informed in ten of the cases reported. Board members asked for and received clarification on the meaning of "credible threat." As one presenter explained, a credible threat does not necessarily mean authorities found a bomb — it means the threat-assessment process identified a plausible mode and method, access and context (for example, social-media statements or verbal threats) that could make an incident possible.

District staff described the assessment process as a team effort involving school administrators, counselors, social workers and SROs (school resource officers). The teams consider the student's access to means, the plausibility of the stated plan and the student's school history before deeming a report credible. Board members requested comparative data for districts of similar size; staff said they could follow up with that information.

No policy change or disciplinary specifics were announced at the meeting; the report was informational and accepted for the board's record.