Tuscaloosa County School District sets up tip line for security and safety concerns

Image courtesy of UNMC

May 10, 2021

The Tuscaloosa County School System in Alabama has partnered with school safety technology company Gaggle, to provide SpeakUp for Safety, a tip line for students, parents and school employees. The school system serves more than 30 elementary, middle and high schools.

TCSS and Gaggle will provide a way for students to confidentially report threats of violence, bullying, peers in trouble and other risks through the SpeakUp for Safety tip line.

Gaggle will allow students to contact the SpeakUp tip line through email, phone call, or text message. Students will not need to download an application on their mobile devices. The tip line system is integrated into Office 365, to which TCSS students already have access.

Trained Gaggle safety representatives examine information that comes into the tip line 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Gaggle will notify school staff regarding non-life-threatening instances. In severe cases, a district member will be notified immediately. In imminent circumstances, Gaggle will contact law enforcement to intervene if they are unable to get in contact with a district member.

Ransomware and the propulsion of the extortion economy has rapidly eclipsed into a national priority. Recently, we observed the catastrophic impact of a widescale ransomware attack impacting gas pipelines and raising national gas prices overnight.