They're the kind of online threats that have many parents terrified.

News organizations have been inundated with phone calls and emails from parents and guardians trying to verify threats being made at dozens of schools.

“It’s understandable in light of what’s happened in South Florida that nerves are on edge,” Orange County Public Schools spokesman Scott Howat said. “…We are looking into every single threat that comes forward, that we know about, and we’re investigating them thoroughly.”

Students are disciplined — when they can be. There are limitations to what punitive actions schools can do: Unless someone admits their post is a hoax, police can’t do much.

“We’ve had several cases where a person has made a blanket threat to either shoot up a school, or do harm, and since the threat wasn’t directed at an individual — it was directed at a school or an institution — we weren’t able to arrest that person or put any charges on them,” Chief John Mina said.

The Orlando City Council will vote on an ordinance next week that could change that. The proposal would make it a misdemeanor to use social media to make a threat of any kind. Those convicted could face up to 60 days in jail.

“The crux of it is putting that threat on social media — you’re causing fear to numerous people, and we want to stop that,” Mina said.

It’s a problem that Howat said only grows when people inadvertently share the online threats.

“Our biggest message right now is don’t spread rumors, report them. Make sure if you see something on Facebook, you say something to someone and not just click “like” or click “share,” because all you’re doing is becoming a greater part of the problem,” Howat said.

The Orlando City Council will vote on the ordinance at their meeting Monday night.

Lawmakers in Tallahassee are also considering similar bills that would make it a felony crime to post threats online.