Threats to schools - the fine line between panic and responsibility

A new threatening message, sent to schools in Bucharest and seven other counties, once again puts the education system and state institutions in front of a major challenge: how to manage fear without paralyzing the educational process?

Cyberattacks or simple fake messages are no longer a novelty in the digital age. But when the target is school - the space perceived as safe by parents and children - the psychological effect multiplies. In a few minutes, an anonymous email can produce uncertainty, anxiety and even lack of trust in the state's ability to protect.

• Authorities' reaction: calm and firmness

The Minister of Education, Daniel David, has relied, in his TV interventions, on the message of "responsible concern” and not on panic. It is a fine line: on the one hand, you don't want to minimize the seriousness of an incident; on the other hand, you cannot encourage chaos. The decision to strengthen the presence of the Police and Gendarmerie around the targeted schools is a necessary signal, even if for some parents the image of people in uniform at the school gate may amplify the tension. In the minister's opinion, society's reaction must be balanced. "No one should think that if they send an email from an address that they find difficult to identify, they will get away with it. (...) Our attitude must be one of responsible concern, but the educational process must continue," he declared.

• The unseen cost of "bad jokes"

The authorities have stressed that those who play with such messages will not go unpunished. Beyond the criminal dimension, there is an enormous social and institutional cost. Lost hours, energy consumed by teachers, children exposed to panic or fear speeches - all this translates into a weakening of the relationship between family, school and state.

• The lesson of digitalization

The fact that an email can set an entire education system on fire shows our collective vulnerability. It is a reminder of how easily insecurity and fear can infiltrate through seemingly trivial tools. In this sense, the reaction of institutions is not just about managing a specific crisis, but about strengthening a mechanism of digital and psychological resilience.

In the face of these episodes, the answer cannot come only from the Police or the Ministry of Education. Teachers, parents and students must be part of an ecosystem of prevention and responsible communication. A mature society does not waver at the first threatening email, but it does not ignore it either. Perhaps the real lesson of these days is not about fear, but about how prepared we are to transform panic into vigilance and distrust into solidarity.