The Department of Education takes a preventative approach when it comes to school threats

WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) – Parents are asking if the school has their own taxes in place?

There have been several threats at Maine schools this week, including one at Scarborough High School that was released on Wednesday after authorities say a suspicious message was found in a bathroom.

That incident occurred one day after MDI High School went into lockdown when school administrators received what they call a credible and serious threat.

Jonathan Shapiro, Director of the Maine School Safety Center says they take all threats seriously.

“We train schools on how they can determine whether the threat is a threat of supply meaning that there is some real danger to him, or it’s a transitory risk, that is just a young person making a spontaneous statement with no intent or risk to leave. her,” Shapiro said.

Using a content-based protocol, Shapiro said he has trained over 600 staff members and is on the way to training more than 2,000.

“It is written, and it is well forbidden that we are trained in multi-disciplinary schools, and to analyze the threats.

He said that most of the threats fall into the category of transitory threats and should be dealt with accordingly.

“Treating the threat too seriously is problematic, not being vindicated and not being treated seriously enough if it becomes a problem,” he said.

Shapiro said they were focusing on preventing the model from responding after the fact.

“We know what works for prevention. We know that adult students have at least one adult who believes they can act and speak,” he said.

This voluntary training opportunity is available to schools at no cost, and a list of interested members is currently awaited.

“Our general goal would be for each district to have at least one team but ultimately we would like to build each school, each school within the district to have their own team,” Shapiro said.

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