A series of threats against high schools in Rapides Parish has those schools on edge. Over the course of the last several days, threats have been posted onto social media against no fewer than four high schools, forcing the cancellation of one school’s entire homecoming weekend. So far, five juveniles have been arrested, but Pineville Representative Mike Johnson says current laws are way too lenient.
“Currently there’s not much really that’s done, relative to the minors or the parents of the minors who are creating havoc on the school properties,” Johnson said.
Johnson says this is something that the legislature needs to address in the next session.
“We’ve got to address it as best we can, through trying to strengthen the laws we have and maybe expand the laws some, to put a little more teeth into the penalty and act as somewhat of a deterrent, as best we can, to educate the young people,” Johnson urged.
Johnson says it’s not just the juvenile perpetrators who need to be held accountable for these threats.
” I certainly want to look at it. If there’s some way to make the parent of the child also join the team of trying to deter this, by including parents. If possible, civil, maybe even criminal accountability like we have in some situations,” Johnson said.
The investigation into the threats remains ongoing, and more arrests may be forthcoming.
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