DENVER — Safe2Tell, an anonymous reporting system for schools across the state, saw a 40% rise in reports compared to last year, during the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year.
Safe2Tell received what the Colorado Attorney General's Office called "alarming reports" in December, one of which involved a student studying the Columbine school shooting tragedy with plans to recreate something similar at their own school. Another involved students using racial slurs alongside plans to commit attacks against the school. Due to the Safe2Tell reports, officials were able to prevent both instances.
The period between August and December of the 2022 school year saw 12,438 reports, an increase from 8,892 reports from the previous year. In December alone, 2,394 reports were received by Safe2Tell, which was a 20% decrease from the month prior, although it is believed the holidays affected the numbers.
Safe2Tell allows any issue students may find pressing to be reported. There were 269 reports of suicide, 241 reports of bullying, and 232 reports of school complaints for the month of December, among other issues, according to a news release from the AG's Office.
In the 2022-2023 school year, false reports only represented 3.7% of all reports to Safe2Tell. False reports are considered any false information that can be used to attempt to harm another person.
To view the full report, click here.
To make a report, individuals can call 1-877-542-7233 from anywhere, at any time. Reports also can be made at Safe2Tell.org, by texting S2TCO to 738477, or through the Safe2Tell mobile app which is available on the Apple App Store or Google Play.