CISA Issues New Toolkit for K–12 Schools to Address Anonymous Threats

The homepage of the CISA website in a file photo. Tada Images/Shutterstock

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a new security resource to help K–12 schools across the United States respond to anonymous threats.

The “Anonymized Threat Response Guidance,” released on Sept. 25 and developed in cooperation with the FBI, offers schools, law enforcement agencies, and community partners essential strategies for addressing anonymous threats of violence, especially those originating on social media, according to CISA’s Sept. 25 statement.

This is done by facilitating coordinated responses between schools and law enforcement, according to CISA.

CISA said the information will protect school communities and limit the disruption and trauma that can be caused by anonymous threats of violence.

“K–12 schools across the country are experiencing a scourge of anonymous threats of violence. School leaders need scalable solutions to navigate these ever-evolving and burdensome threats,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said. “The K–12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance provides step-by-step approaches to help schools better assess and respond to these threats, as well as take action to mitigate future risks in coordination with their law enforcement and other community partners.”

The guidance was released just weeks after a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, is accused of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers at the school.

He was charged with four counts of felony murder in connection with the Sept. 4. shooting.

Officials confirmed that the FBI and other law enforcement agencies had investigated the 14-year-old alleged shooter after they received multiple anonymous tips in May 2023 about online threats to carry out a school shooting.

Those threats were allegedly posted to a gaming site and featured photographs of guns, according to Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum.

At that time, the FBI said there was no probable cause to make an arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state, or federal levels.

CISA’s resource emphasizes the importance of building awareness and advocates for the use of multidisciplinary threat assessment teams.

“At a minimum, these teams should include a school administrator, a school-based law enforcement representative, and a school counselor and/or other mental health professional with the option of adding individuals who can further help assess the situation and contribute to developing the right intervention plan,” the publication states.

This allows schools to expedite responses and mitigate risks. Schools are also encouraged to take proactive steps throughout the year, such as establishing protocols and conducting training exercises to better prepare for potential threats.

Alongside the toolkit, CISA released a supplemental reference guide that simplifies best practices, making them accessible to a wider range of stakeholders.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Department of Education for comment but didn’t receive a reply by publication time.