More Coloradans than ever reported problems to Safe2Tell in the 2023-2024 school year, according to the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, which oversees the program.
“The rise in reports reflects both the increasing challenges young people are facing and the commitment of Safe2Tell’s trainers and ambassadors in building awareness across Colorado,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said. “Today’s students need support more than ever.”
Safe2Tell was created in response to the Columbine High School mass shooting to provide an outlet for community members to make anonymous reports about safety threats. It took about five years after the tragedy for the program to become officially operational.
20 years later, a record-breaking 28,218 Safe2Tell reports were submitted in the last school year, which is up from 22, 246 reports in the 2022-2023 school year.
The most reported issues were suicide, bullying, drugs, and school threats. In the last school year, school complaints become the most-reported category for the first time in Safe2Tell’s history.