RICHMOND, Va. -- In cases involving school threats, when police do not bring charges, the response to the threat does not end there.
Virginia school systems' policies, which are guided by the Virginia Board of Education, all have a robust threat assessment process with escalating disciplinary responses.
Section C of Chesterfield County's Parent Handbook describes penalties for offenses ranging from violations of the law to threats to persons or property.
More than a dozen responses range from counseling to suspension to recommendation of expulsion.
Richmond's Code of Responsible Ethics for students designates penalties from a five-day suspension to expulsion for what it calls Category E offenses, which include threatening staff or fellow students with harm or death.
"First, as a superintendent and as a dad myself, I take this extremely seriously," said Richmond Schools Supt. Jason Kamras on Monday. "Every threat that we come across, we investigate to the fullest extent possible. And if we feel that it is credible in any way, we are going to include the Richmond Police Department, and they will investigate. If it meets a certain bar, they will make charges. And so I do want families to understand even jokes on social media and texts on Chromebooks will be taken seriously. In some cases, children will be charged. And I hate to have that happen, but that's the world that we're living in now."
Kamras pointed out RPS's investigation doesn't end there. "Every single case, we conduct a threat assessment, and we take our own disciplinary action, even if RPD doesn't issue charges," Kamras said.
Henrico County's Code of Student Conduct states that threatening students or staff without an actual weapon or device could rise to a level four offense, which would involve penalties ranging from a short-term suspension up to 10 days or a longer-term suspension.
As far as the criminal referrals local police have handled from schools, our Cameron Thompson researched those numbers. You'll find the details at the end of his story here.
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