Safety and Security
Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.
Think Before You Post
There is a relatively new epidemic attacking schools known as "swatting." Swatting incidents have risen exponentially recently and target schools for the sole purpose of inducing panic and instigating a response by law enforcement. Poth ISD administrative staff have been alerted to the likelihood of that happening to one of our campuses and provided resources to handle such an incident.
What is Swatting?
Swatting is false reporting of an emergency to public safety by a person intending to get a (“SWAT team”) response to a location where no emergency exists. The calling party will often report they are involved or nearby as a witness to a home invasion, active shooter, or hostage situation, attempting to muster the largest response possible. Often, the law enforcement response is substantial, with police confronting the unsuspecting victims at gunpoint, only to learn that there is no real emergency.
Those who attempt to cause a swatting incident use several techniques, including caller ID spoofing, TTY relay technologies, and social engineering. These actors will often have a reasonable scenario and will sometimes include personal information. These actors have various reasons; sometimes it is for “fun” and viewed as a prank to the actor, while other times it is used as retaliation against a real or perceived issue with the victim. Several public figures and celebrities have been the victims of swatting. These calls come from two sources:
- Direct to the PSAP–Calls from spoofed devices with the caller directly providing information to a trained call taker.
- Relayed from a third party–Call from the caller to an untrained person at a relay service such as Telecommunications Relay Service, or even an innocent “Good Samaritan” using social media.
Swatting-related news articles:
The quote above is attributed to Nelson Madela and certainly rings true today. Without our collective Poth ISD community, our campuses would not be as safe and secure as they are.
In a time of statistically increasing violent episodes targeting innocents, the administration of Poth ISD seeks ways to balance the inclusion of our community and families with the safety of our students and staff. We genuinely appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we continually improve our facilities and procedures to accomplish that goal.
On this page, you can familiarize yourself with the resources our school team is utilizing to improve upon an already healthy and safe school district. If you have any questions or ever have any concerns you think may affect the safety and security of our students and staff, please reach out to any campus administrator or to Josh Wadsworth at 830-484-3330 x 4004 or [email protected].
What Parents Should Expect In the Event of an Active Attack Incident
Mission & Vision
Protecting Texas students, faculty, and schools requires everyone’s support. iWatchTexas encourages students, administrators, parents, and concerned individuals to report anything that may trouble you: no concern is too small. By alerting the proper authorities to incidents that concern you, we can take steps toward preventing rather than reacting to school violence.
Click the image above or the link in the menu on the right to make a report.
Visitor Procedures
Key Contacts
STOPit Anonymous Reporting
STOPit Brochure
Standard Response Protocol
SRP Handouts
School Guardians
Safety and Security Committee
Mass Communication
Relevant Links
