Dallas ISD was added to a list of districts that have received emailed threats recently.

Dallas police determined that the threats were not credible and kept open Pinkston High School and Martinez Elementary, where some teachers received emailed threats Wednesday night. Dallas, along with school districts in New York, Houston and Miami also received emailed threats this week but remained open. The Los Angeles Unified School District, on the other hand, shut down all of its schools Tuesday after receiving similar emailed threats. This poses the question that many are asking now- should schools shut down after receiving terror threats?

Los Angeles, after closing  1,500 school buildings and telling more than  655,000 students to stay home, lost at least $29 million dollars. The reaction of Los Angeles officials was an indicator of the tense times that have gripped this region since Dec. 2, when an attack 50 miles from there left 14 people dead and 22 injured in San Bernardino.

Those districts that did not close down were still on high alert, increasing their security and working with local police officers. Bomb- sniffing dogs were walked through schools early in the morning, before class began, clearing buildings to become open to students. The surrounding public was also encouraged to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to police immediately.

These measures, although reassuring, still leave many questioning. Some might ask if these efforts are enough to keep students safe and how can officials be sure these threats are truly a hoax. The risk of a serious threat is not uncommon in our nation today, so I ask you again- should schools shut down after receiving terror threats?

(You can leave your answers in the comment section below!)