September 25, 2026
Dear Colleague:
The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Justice (DOJ) are writing this letter to all educational institutions, including institutions of higher education and state and local educational agencies, in response to recent swatting incidents across the country. Anonymized threats are a growing problem for colleges, universities, and K-12 schools, as well as their faculties, staff, and student bodies. These threats often come in clusters, and educational institutions should be prepared to respond when such threats reach their schools.
This letter serves as a reminder to all educational institutions of the importance of preparing for and responding to swatting incidents appropriately. That includes reporting such incidents to necessary authorities and undertaking proper response protocols. At the conclusion, we provide a summary of some available resources with additional information to guide institutions’ responses to these serious incidents.