School officials: Rumors of Sandalwood High threat are false

Duval County Public Schools is fielding numerous calls from concerned parents of Sandalwood High School regarding a threat of gun violence on campus Friday.

DCPS said these rumors are false. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office did respond to a reported threat at the school where it was determined it was not credible.

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JSO searched campus, but no firearm or gunman were found on campus.

DCPS emphasized that while copycat crimes after Wednesday's school shooting in Parkland, Florida are being reported all over the country, they are taking all incidents and threats seriously.

A spokesperson told Action News Jax there's an investigative process with any type of threat including if made against a single student:

• They identify the threat
• Investigate the seriousness
• Determine the level of infraction
• Determine the consequences for student(s)

DCPS also said any student who violates the code of conduct will be disciplined accordingly.

There is also a process for threats made against an entire school, according to a DCPS spokesperson.

Hahlah Ideis, a local woman whose daughter attends Mandarin Middle School says school officials aren't doing enough against the threats her daughter has received.

"It just makes me feel not safe to send my kids to school," said Ideis. She told Action News Jax reporter Christy Turner her 11-year-old daughter constantly receives threats from older students. "It's very concerning."

The DCPS student code of conduct also says officials are supposed to notify parents, which Ideis said never happened in their situation.

"I'm upset because things fall through the cracks," said Ideis. "The school board needs to change things and make it to where it's not tolerated at all...that they don't wait around too long for something to happen."

Florida is one of 33 states that requires every school to have a comprehensive emergency plan, but local schools are falling short.

DCPS told Turner that eight schools are lacking a security feature at the front door and it's a top priority to fix, but they don't have a lot of money to work with.

DCPS says they're looking into temporary solutions, but parents say security must come first.

"There's a shadow of fear that I think is following all of us now. It's scary," said Carolyn Nolte, a local parent. " my daughter is afraid to go to school today after what happened in Parkland."

Cox Media Group