LANSING, MI-- More people reached out to a confidential tip line in 2021 to report threats, violent behavior or mental health crises to help keep students, teachers and other staff in Michigan schools safe.
OK2SAY, Michigan’s student safety program run by the Michigan State Police, received 6,255 tips spanning 30 categories in 2021, up 67% from 2020, according to the 2021 annual report.
“OK2SAY is a violence prevention tool in place in Michigan for more than eight years and remains steadfast in its mission to help keep students safe,” said Col. Joe Gasper, director of the Michigan State Police, in an Aug. 11 press release.
“The program provides a much-needed safety net responding to and preventing numerous individual and community crises.”
The goal of OK2SAY, which launched the 2014-15 school year, is to eliminate barriers so a student who is struggling can get needed help before a situation turns into a tragedy. Parents, teachers, or concerned individuals can confidentially report potential harm or criminal activities.
The top five tip categories in 2021 were:
- Planned School Attack - 1,786
- Threats (e.g., an expression intended to cause pain or injury to a specific individual rather than a school building) - 722
- Other (e.g., anxiety, stress, depression, harassment) - 632
- Bullying - 533
- Suicides threats - 500
OK2SAY is housed within the Office of School Safety. Other findings from the 2021 report include 34 tips that involved the confiscation of weapons and 86 tips that resulted in the seizure of drugs or alcohol.
The report says the increase in tips is likely attributed to several factors, including people being more inclined to report threats to OK2SAY after the Oxford tragedy. Student Ethan Crumbley, now 16, is accused of killing four students and injuring others on Nov. 30, 2021, at Oxford High School.
The 3,567 tips last December were an increase of 2,709% compared to those reported in December 2020.
Another factor cited was that most schools offered remote or hybrid learning during 2020 rather than in-person learning for part of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials say OK2SAY also began presenting the student safety program to middle schools in September 2021.
“In terms of tip counts, there is empirical evidence that the presentations make a difference,” according to the annual report. When a school hosts a presentation, students from that school almost immediately begin to use OK2SAY tip line. We take note of this based on the feedback from school officials and outcome reports.”
“Every kid deserves to feel safe at school, and I am proud of the successful OK2SAY program that offers students a confidential way to report threats and talk about their mental health,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a press release Thursday, after reviewing the report.
“I am so grateful to the MSP for ensuring this program runs smoothly. I will work with anyone to keep our kids safe at school, and I am proud of the historic, bipartisan efforts we have made in our students and schools to help them thrive both in and out of the classroom. Let’s keep working together to help kids be kids.”
Anyone can report tips on criminal activities or potential harm directed at students, school employees or schools. Tips can be submitted 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tips can be submitted the following ways:
- Call: 8-555-OK2SAY (855-565-2729)
- Text: 652729 (OK2SAY)
- Email: OK2SAY@mi.gov
OK2SAY website: www.michigan.gov/ok2say
OK2SAY mobile app: Available for download in app stores for iPhone and Android.
Michigan law requires every public and nonpublic school to provide the MSP with at least one school official’s emergency contact information biannually.
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