AUSTIN, Texas — McCallum High School in Central Austin saw two separate threats this week to its campus.
On Wednesday, dismissal was briefly delayed for students after a bomb threat was made by an unknown caller.
In a press conference, Austin ISD Police Chief Wayne Sneed said the district received a call from an individual threatening to “shoot up and bomb the school.” The campus was immediately placed in “secure” mode while law enforcement cleared the area for potential threats.
That incident followed another online threat made against the school just days earlier, which officials later determined was not credible.
Kathryn “Nin” Emery, a former teacher and licensed professional counselor with Thriveworks, told KVUE that threats like the ones made towards McCallum High School this week can significantly impact students’ mental health.
“There is definitely adrenaline and cortisol pumping,” Emery said. “The kids might cry. It’s definitely a stressful experience.”
Emery said that students react differently to these incidents. She said while some may experience heightened anxiety, others might emotionally detach or become apathetic due to repeated scares.
“Other kids might adapt to it by clicking off,” Emery said. “The apathy and just not caring, not believing—a ‘boy who cried wolf’ type scenario. So it’s going to depend on the individual.”
Emery emphasized that even students who use humor as a coping mechanism can still be deeply affected. She advised that parents should have a balanced conversation when discussing these events with their children by acknowledging the seriousness without amplifying fears.
“So it’s a balance of ‘we don’t want them to fall into apathy,’ right, the desensitization,” Emery said. “But we also don’t want to make, you know, their systems worse.”
Emery also reminded parents to remain patient and validate their children’s concerns.