CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- New statistics paint a bleak picture of what parents are forced to face in schools across North Carolina.
The Educator's School Safety Network ranked North Carolina in the top 10 for school threats and violent incidents last school year.
Across the country, school threats spiked 62 percent. The number of actual violent incidents increased by 113 percent. The study reveals North Carolina had 103 threats and 13 violent incidents.
WFMY News 2's Hannah Brewer spoke with Lisa Uber, a Triad mom who has concerns about sending her 9-year-old son to school at Walkerton Elementary School.
"I'm scared to death. I think about this constantly. What happens if a shooter goes into my sons classroom? Will he know what to do? Will he know how to protect himself? Will he be okay?" said Uber.
From Facebook to Snapchat, officials say students are misusing social media. On Wednesday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Police are having a joint conference addressing the seriousness of making hoax threats and the impacts they have.
"Kids need to understand that any jokes, any games, anything that they think is funny that they want to post, is definitely going to be investigated," said Vicki Foster, a CMPD spokesperson. "They will be held responsible."
Stiffer punishment will come for students this upcoming school year. In June, Governor Roy Cooper signed a bill making anyone found guilty of making school threats a felony. That law goes into effect December.
"Threats to our schools are an appalling reality that we have to confront," said a North Carolina lawmaker.