KENOSHA — On the same day that a TikTok video referenced a school shooting and named December 16th, some Kenosha families made the difficult decision to keep their children home from school.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Kenosha parents on edge after teen arrested again over alleged school shooting threats
Parents say fear and unanswered questions pushed them to act.
Britne Bradley is one of those parents. After learning the teen arrested in connection with the threat was the same juvenile involved in a prior school incident last year, she says there was no question in her mind.
“Terror, I was just sick to my stomach,” Bradley said. “There was no possible way that I’m going to let my kids in the school today.”
Bradley says her concern is heightened because one of her children attends a school without a controlled entrance. She believes safety measures need to be consistent.
"There needs to be more serious safety protocols in place and an increased presence at the schools, not just when something like this happens,” Bradley said.
Watch: Kenosha parents, students react as families keep kids home amid safety fears
Inside Indian Trail High School, student Jeremy Oster says the impact was noticeable.
“There’s definitely a lot of kids not at school today,” Oster said. “My first period class was half there."
Oster says while students are taught what to do during emergencies, seeing empty hallways made the situation feel more real.
“It’s sad. It happens too much,” Oster said. "I think parents have the right to keep their kids home. If you don’t feel safe sending them in to school over situations like this, it’s parents’ judgment.”
Kenosha police say the juvenile referenced December 16th in a video and has been detained, after allegedly attempting to disarm an officer during the investigation. Authorities say evidence consistent with planning was found, and charges have been referred to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office.
TMJ4 News reached out to the Kenosha Unified School District for attendance numbers to see how many students were absent today. KUSD says attendance is still being processed and will be available at a later time.
For parents like Bradley, reassurance alone isn’t enough.
“We want change for our kids,” Bradley said. “We want our kids to feel safe.”
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