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In the aftermath of the tragedy that struck Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut last month, a stream of hoax threats was received by school districts across the country. District officials took those threats very seriously, however, launching investigations and school lockdowns nationwide with the intent of protecting students at all costs. In Florida, threats made by a bank employee and a student both resulted in action by school and district officials. However, the handling of those threats raised the eyebrows – and the ire – of some of the individuals involved.

Threats Circulate Social Networks

reports that a number of phony threats surfaced in Florida shortly after the Connecticut shootings. Many of those threats were circulated on social websites like Facebook, according to some of the students that reported the threats. However, officials were unable to verify the threats through this medium, since the posts appear to have been deleted before officers were alerted. At least a portion of those threats were posed against schools in Coral Springs, Pompano Beach and Davie.

also reported on threats received throughout the state, in the counties of Brevard, Seminole, Orange, and Volusia. At one prep school in Orlando, authorities were called when a woman carried a sword onto school property. Police departments across the state said that every threat received was taken very seriously in light of recent events in Connecticut. That meant several area

Education is one of the most important components to breaking the cycle of poverty across the United States. In Colorado, one school district is taking that theory to heart by providing its own students with basic supplies to ensure a successful education experience. Whether the family needs food, clothing, or even a home of their own, is available to provide much-needed assistance to students and their families within the district. In some cases, the school system is the first line of assistance to struggling families moving into the city come in contact with.

The Need Grows

According to a report at , Denver Public Schools has around 2,000 homeless students this year, which translates to about one homeless child in every classroom. That number marks a 30 percent increase for the current school year alone – an alarming statistic that has left homeless shelters filled to capacity and required some families to live out of their cars because there is no more room for them at city shelters. Filling the needs of these families is no easy task, but the Education Outreach Program through Denver Public Schools has been doing its best to help those struggling families find relief.

Still, homeless students have more than their share of challenges. According to , 14 percent of homeless students have to repeat a grade due to moving to a new school, as opposed to only five percent

Students returning to school after Christmas break may find new condom dispensers in their schools. The district is expanding the availability of free condoms to 22 high schools in the city, choosing schools based on their rates of sexually transmitted diseases. The move has been endorsed by city officials, including the mayor of Philadelphia Michael Nutter. The pilot program is designed to curb the “epidemic” of sexually transmitted diseases that has swept parts of the city, according to some officials.

This video reports on Philadelphia schools' installation of condom dispensers in 22 high schools.

Concern Leads to New Policy

The dispensers will be installed in the health offices of 22 high schools in the Philadelphia school district, according to the . The schools receiving the dispensers had the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases among students, including gonorrhea and chlamydia. Back in 2010, city officials saw a nearly 50 percent increase in confirmed gonorrhea cases among the city’s youth, which was closely followed by a similar rise in chlamydia cases.

Other reports showed that one in every four Philadelphia residents diagnosed with AIDs was between the ages of 13 and 24. At the same time, the city was reporting these concerning figures, condom use among teens in the city appeared to be on the decline. Dr. Donald Schwartz, the health commissioner for Philadelphia, told the New York Daily News that

One of the largest and oldest school districts in the country is the School District of Philadelphia. This public school system is the eighth largest school district in the United States, and it dates back nearly two centuries. As such, the district has faced more than a few challenges throughout its long and illustrious history. From the passage of child labor laws at the end of the 19^th century to the restructuring of the governance of the district today, the School District of Philadelphia has seen its share of strife and success.

The Early Years of the School District of Philadelphia

The School District of Philadelphia was established in 1818, although the school board was not created until a number of years later. The states that changes in the city at that time prompted the state government to establish a public school district when crime and poverty were becoming huge issues for the growing city. The school system was designed to provide a public education to the city’s poor children after forcing their free entry into private schools did not work as planned.

This video offers a look at one of the early school buildings, the Bok Building.

While the new system was an improvement over what had been established in the past, it still failed to miss the mark in many ways. Some of those problems were answered

The public school system for the Islands of Hawaii is unique in many different respects. First, it is the largest school district west of the Mississippi River. Second, it is the only district that encompasses the entire state, rather than representing a single, defined area of that state. The is also one of the oldest public school systems west of the Mississippi, with an establishment date that goes all the way back to the middle of the 19^th century.

This video looks at the state of Hawaii's public schools.

Facts and Figures in the Aloha State

Wikipedia states that the Hawaii public school system was first established in 1840, under the monarchy of Kamehameha III. The system grew throughout many decades, and today, the Hawaii Department of Education oversees 286 schools. The department employs approximately 13,000 teachers to instruct more than 180,000 students each year. The majority of the schools are located on Oahu, with the rest spread throughout Maui, Big Island, and Kauai. The district headquarters is also located in Honolulu, on the Island of Oahu.

The Hawaii Department of Education includes 32 charter schools in its total number of public schools. The district has a per-pupil expenditure of more than $11,000, which is relatively high compared to many of the school districts throughout the United States. The Department of Education’s states that