The start of the new school year has created problems in Florida.
Schools are having to deal with a crisis unlike any they have faced before.
A Florida sheriff gave parents a wake-up call over this scary situation.
Florida schools deal with a surge of threats
The start of the school in year Florida has been accompanied by a surge of threats of violence.
Most of the threats have turned out to be hoaxes but they have required law enforcement to take the time to investigate them.
An 11-year-old student was arrested for posting a threat on social media in St. Lucie County.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that students would be held accountable at an event in Orlando.
“If people are issuing some of these threats, like an idle threat, we take that very seriously, even if you have no intent on following through with it,” DeSantis said.
“That creates a lot of consternation in the community,” DeSantis continued. “It creates a lot of anxiety with parents, and we will absolutely hold you responsible.”
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood arrested an 11-year-old for making a threat and posted a video of the booking to serve as a warning.
“This is absolutely out of control, and it ends now,” Chitwood exclaimed. “I can and will release the names and photos of juveniles who are committing these felonies, threatening our students, disrupting our schools, and consuming law enforcement resources.”
Chitwood wants to publicize the arrests to serve as a deterrent to other students who could be considering doing the same thing.
Florida sheriff says law enforcement begins at home
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey is a no-nonsense lawman known for his social media game show Wheel of Fugitive, ]where he picks a fugitive to focus his efforts on that week.
Ivey told Florida’s Voice that parents need to take a more active role in disciplining their kids and that law enforcement begins at home.
“If you did something back in the day, you got held accountable for it,” Ivey explained. “Today, kids are all over social media. They’re all over phones and everything else.”
He said that the rise in smartphone and social media use by kids has left parents disconnected from that part of their lives.
Getting parents more involved in their kids’ lives could curb some of the problems that are cropping up at Florida schools.
Ivey was asked for his thoughts on the rise in threats at Florida schools.
“I can sum that up in just a real quick sentence. Parents need to start being the chief law enforcement in their child’s life,” Ivey explained. “They need to start whipping their kid’s butts if they even as much think about threatening another student or a school. We don’t see that.”
Ivey said that teachers, guidance counselors, and the police now must serve the role of “chief law enforcement” officer for students.
The sheriff noted that he was brought up in a strict household where his mom was the “sheriff, judge, and the executioner.”
Ivey said parents would be the key to stopping the “nonsense” going on in schools.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
