DENVER (KDVR) — Suicide threats are inching up in Colorado schools, according to the state’s anonymous reporting system, Safe2Tell.
There were 2,630 reports sent to Safe2Tell’s system in March, 11% more than in February and the most reported in the last two years.
About one in every eight of these reports, 11.5%, were reports of suicide threats. Historically, suicide threats are the most common report to Safe2Tell, next to bullying or complaints about the school itself.
Suicide threats have not been consistently this high since before the pandemic. There have been around 300 such threats per month reported to Safe2Tell this winter. Prior to school closures beginning in March 2020, there were closer to 400 per month.
Most of these reports were judged valid, meaning they required some kind of real-life response and intended to protect, help or prevent harm.