During sixth period on Monday, April 11, at Goleta Valley Junior High School, a female student in teacher James Gallen’s Honors English class was called to the school’s administration office; on her way out the classroom door she said out loud, “I’m gonna shoot up this school,” according to Gallen. “If I have to do another RA, I’m gonna shoot up this school.” The 8th grader, who Gallen said has been suspended before for fighting, was referring to Santa Barbara Unified School District’s Restorative Approach, a conflict-resolution technique that focuses on mediation over punishment.
“I was concerned about the safety of everyone,” Gallen said, and he immediately reported the student’s comments to school administrators. 15 minutes later, she was back in class apologizing for her comments. According to Gallen, school administrators did not report the incident to the district office or to law enforcement. “Administration failed faculty, staff, and students, putting everybody at risk by not taking the threat more seriously,” he said.
Around 5:45 that afternoon, the student repeated the threat through social media on Snapchat. A parent reported the post to law enforcement, according to a district press release sent out 24 hours later, on Tuesday evening. “[The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office] responded immediately by contacting the student at home,” the statement said.