Macomb County prosecutor wants to go after parents whose children make school threats
FOX 2 (WJBK) - Another day and another round of school threats. It has become all too common - and the Macomb County prosecutor says he has a plan to stop them.
On Wednesday alone, Metro Detroit has registered threats in Taylor, Redford, South Lyon East High School and St. Clair Shores South Lake High School. In Taylor a student posted a gun and says he was going to shoot the head of the principal closing three schools, while in South Lyon a threat was discovered in the bathroom.
Now Prosecutor Pete Lucido has a plan to make parents pay for threats by their children.
"Talk to your kids and say don't make me pay for something so stupid as this," he said.
Lucido says he's prosecuted 50 school threats this year - a 50 percent increase from last year. He's emphasizing students should call the number 855-565-2729 or OK2SAY if they see a threat.
"I want the students to call because they are the first line of defense as it relates to their own class, their own selves," he said.
But Lucido has a one-two punch- to end school threats. First, have the students call OK2SAY. But next, make the parents pay for the criminal acts of their kids.
Related:
- 2 Ferndale High School students arrested after back-to-back threats
- New surge in school shooting threats put strain on districts, police
- Lake Orion boy, 10, threatens to 'shoot up the school like Ethan Crumbley'
FOX 2: "If a kid makes a joke on social media, 'I'm going to blow up the school' or whatever, and they get caught, you say the parents are going to pay?"
"You got it," Lucido said. "Tell your students right now, your children, you have an obligation to go ahead and take care of your kids. But you also have an obligation for those acts that have consequences of paying back the cities, the townships, and the villages for all of this excess, that other parents shouldn't be paying.
"It's your child, you have a responsibility, make sure you do your job as a parent."
Parents need to tell their children that making a threat of terrorism comes with a 20-year felony penalty.
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido