IT Infrastructure & Management

Durham, N.C., Students Can Now Text Anonymous Tips

By McClatchy-Tribune — October 15, 2012 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Students in Durham, N.C., public schools can now use their mobile phones to provide anonymous tips to school safety administrators.

The service, called Text-A-Tip, allows students to send anonymous tips online, via smartphone, or by sending a text message to “CRIMES” (274637) with the keyword DPSTIP from any mobile phone.

“In a school setting, it’s often imperative that information be conveyed to authorities quickly,” says Eric Becoats, the superintendent of the 32,700-student district. “And with Text-A-Tip, students will know that it is safe for them to do the right thing without ever disclosing their identity.”

Students can use Text-A-Tip to report any safety-related information, including bullying, suicide prevention, sexting, drug use, or information about potential crimes.

Currently used by more than 800 schools and law-enforcement agencies throughout the country, Text-A-Tip, which is provided by Draper, Utah-based CrimeReports, allows text-message providers to remain anonymous by encrypting the text messages, assigning them a unique ID, and routing them through secure servers.

A version of this article appeared in the October 17, 2012 edition of Digital Directions as Durham Students Can Now Text Annonymous Tips

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
From Classrooms to Careers: How Schools and Districts Can Prepare Students for a Changing Workforce
Real careers start in school. Learn how Alton High built student-centered, job-aligned pathways.
Content provided by TNTP
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

IT Infrastructure & Management How This District Cut Hundreds of Ed-Tech Tools and Saved $1M
Denver Public Schools has saved about $1 million from culling digital tools.
2 min read
Luke Mund, the manager of educational technology for the Denver Public Schools, presents a poster session on how the district has consolidated its ed-tech spending at the ISTELive 25 + ASCD Annual Conference 25 in San Antonio on July 1, 2025.
Luke Mund, the manager of educational technology for the Denver Public Schools, presents a poster session on how the district has consolidated its ed-tech spending at the ISTELive 25 + ASCD Annual Conference 25 in San Antonio on July 1, 2025.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
IT Infrastructure & Management This Tool Aims to Save District Leaders 1,000 Hours a Year In Vetting Ed Tech
Leaders in four states will promote an ed-tech index, developed in part by ISTE, among district leaders.
3 min read
A group of researchers studies elements impacted by artificial intelligence
Kathleen Fu for Education Week
IT Infrastructure & Management Why This District Pays Students to Repair School Devices
One district leader says there are no downsides to having students work on Chromebook repairs.
3 min read
Megan Marcum, the digital learning coach for the Bowling Green district in Kentucky, and William King, the district technology director, present a poster session on how to create a student Chromebook repair team at the ISTELive 25 + ASCD Annual Conference 25 in San Antonio on June 30, 2025.
Megan Marcum, the digital learning coach for the Bowling Green district in Kentucky, and William King, the district's technology director, explain how to set up a student Chromebook repair team at the ISTELive 25 + ASCD Annual Conference 25 in San Antonio on June 30, 2025.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
IT Infrastructure & Management Schools Brace for Tariff-Related Price Increases of Chromebooks and iPads
School-issued devices in many districts need to be replaced, but rising prices could prevent those plans.
6 min read
Students in Lynne Martin's 5th grade class study math using Chromebooks at Markham Elementary School in Oakland, Calif. on Sept. 5, 2019.
Students in Lynne Martin's 5th grade class study math using Chromebooks at Markham Elementary School in Oakland, Calif. on Sept. 5, 2019.
Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle via AP