"I just said, 'Here we go again,'" she says. WE ARE L. Iowa schools are responding to nationwide, anonymous social media threats that are being shared on social media outlets.School districts partnered together including Adel DeSoto Minburn, Ames, Ankeny, Bondurant-Farrar, Dallas Center-Grimes, Des Moines, Johnston, North Polk, Norwalk, Southeast Polk, Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines. Eric Rogers is a watchdog reporter for FLORIDA TODAY. The post is vague and not directed at a specific school, and is circulating around school districts across the country.At this time, there is no known threat to any CPS facility, but we are taking this threat extremely seriously and are working with CPD. Roberson said the threat is spreading around North Carolina schools and across other states. In a statement on Twitter, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to investigate. Akron Superintendent Christine Fowler Mack said the district takes all threats seriously. "I will be on edge for her all day.". "This is an issue we're seeing across school districts,"BPS spokesman Russel Bruhn said Thursday. The warnings reference the threat has been enough to elicit a response from school districts and law enforcement agencies as students prepare for classes on Friday. They say there is no credible threat in the area.SOUTH HAMPTON THREATIn Jewell, South Hamilton Community School District Superintendent Heather Holm on Friday morning told parents through an email that a student made a social media post about bringing a gun to school.Holm told parents that students immediately reported the incident to school administrators. They were angry about pandemic-related restrictions such as mandatory masks and about how schools were teaching and talking about race. Wake County Public School System has an anonymous tip line parents and students can call to report threats or concerns. He said anyone found to have made a threat will be disciplined "to the greatest extent allowed by law.". . For more on the precautions U.S. schools are taking following a disturbing TikTok threat, listen below to our daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day. Our school was not originally named in this threat. . In October, students were challenged to slap a teacher, prompting the National Education Association to call on the leaders of Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to intervene. In a statement, TikTok said it has not found evidence of the threat despite the alarming posts that have since gone viral. Schools step up security in response to Friday's bomb, school shooting threats on TikTok. They said yes. In Jewell, South Hamilton Community School District Superintendent Heather Holm on Friday morning told parents through an email that a student made a social media post about bringing a gun to school. As the school year nears its end, some staff at Tomken Road Middle School are close to walking out. Thanks to todays report, we now know that these concerns were well-founded, she said. Dear Barrington 220 Community,Barrington 220 has been made aware of a national threat circulating on TikTok regarding gun violence in schools. Back in September, a TikTok trend called devious lickschallengedstudents to steal or vandalize school property. "It wasn't the fear that it would happen, but why put her through the chaos and confusion?" Advertisement The threat is. 2023 www.beaconjournal.com. The school districts also ask families and teachers to "take this opportunity to talk with your students about the appropriate use of social media, and the seriousness and resulting consequences of making any kind of threat.". A small number of districts in many states still closed schools as a precaution. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. . Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. There are posts circulating on TikTok raising awareness about the threats and encouraging students to stay home on Dec. 17. "There's no actual threat to Brevard schools.". According to Brett Callow, threat analyst at cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, the hackers . The original letter was co-signed by Slaven and Viola M. Garcia, a member of a school board in Texas. See a related story on school threats and cell phones in USA Today. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Please do not re-share any suspicious or concerning posts on social media. Her groups open records requests provided evidence of the behind-the-scenes communications and fueled the controversy. Octobers challenge was to smack a staff member, according to the list. Curry says parents can help by limiting their kids' exposure to social media and media coverage, assessing what is credible themselves and fostering a positive sense of community. Chantal Da Silva is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital based in London. NATION School Shootings Add Topic Schools across US hit with dozens of false shooting, bomb threats. While the lasting impact of these crime and safety issues cannot be measured in statistics alone, these data are valuable to the efforts of our policymakers, school officials, and community members to identify and implement preventive and responsive measures," she said. "Whatever you can do to limit their exposure to these images and sensationalized news stories is going to be for the better," she explains. ", RELATED VIDEO: TikTok Star Gabriel Salazar, 19, Dies in Fiery Car Crash After High-Speed Police Chase, "Due to an uptick in unrelated threats at schools in the region, the Naugatuck Police will be increasing our presence and patrols at Borough Schools in the coming days," they wrote. Because there's no national system for identifying drug threats quickly, most of them said the U.S. will likely be caught off . "There's no question that this national crisis in adolescent mental health is manifesting itself in schools," Penn Delco Superintendent George Steinhoff said. Peru says two weeks of threats have taken a toll on her daughter, both mentally and physically. There are. Some posts warned against students attending class, but. Barrington School District 220 also notified its community of the national threats. This comes after multiple recent instances of school threats. ERIC: A NATIONWIDE SCHOOL THREAT ON TIKTOK IS BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY RIGHT NOW. The bill provides grants to states for red flag laws, enhances background checks to include juvenile records and closes the boyfriend loophole by keeping guns away from unmarried dating partners convicted of abuse. The post refers to a threat to school safety tomorrow, Friday, December 17. . In a statement, Slaven said there was nothing wrong with his original letter. The districts emphasized that they were not aware of any specific or . The "National Shoot Up Your School Day" trend rumoredon TikTokraised concerns about students committing acts of violence on Dec. 17. "It's 15,000 people on social media, because it gets passed around and it becomes larger and larger and larger. A vague nationwide threat to schools spreading on TikTok is sparking panic and confusion. 11.21 USD +0.39 +3.60% 1774397D BYTEDANCE LTD Private Company Open A wave of school-shooting threats circulating on TikTok and other social media prompted some U.S. schools to close Friday. "Idk if this is true or not but apparently there is a threat on December 17 2021, schools in America are going to have a school shooting or bombing," one user on the platform wrote. Heritage High School addressed the same threat in an email to families, saying the school was not specifically named but campus security is on alert. Threats force Trinity School to postpone weekend events after racist homecoming proposal A Catholic school in New Hampshire postponed all athletic events this weekend after a student's racist . The number represented the highest total since data collection began, the agency said, marking a major rise from the 23 incidents recorded in the 2000-01 school year. As they are everyday, school social workers will also be available for students who may need support. For information about reporting incidents anonymously, please visit the Safety 220 page on our district website.While we are all aware of the positive and negative effects that social media can have on a student's life, this can be an opportunity for families to discuss the importance of internet safety, physical safety, and mental health. Contact Erin Richards at (414) 207-3145 or erin.richards@usatoday.com. Members of the school community can also download this SchoolSafety.gov infographic to learn more about threat assessment and reporting and access a sampling of resources. Williams didn't know how to explain what was happening to her 6-year-old son. The report found that Slaven had toned the letter down from the rhetoric of an early version drafted in part by staff. On Friday morning in Wauconda,Illinois, Trisha Masterson dropped her five children off at school and noticed additional police cars. God willing, its going to save a lot of lives, he said. Gun violence in schoolsthis fallrose compared with pre-pandemic times. A message from North Raleigh Christian Academy told parents "this potential threat is a hoax with the intent of causing mass panic. El post es impreciso, no est dirigido a una escuela en particular, y actualmente est circulando por los distritos escolares de todo el pas.En este momento, no existe ninguna amenaza hacia algn edificio especfico de CPS, pero estamos tomando estas amenazas seriamente y estamos trabajando con CPD. That means involvement of the police and other authorities, notification of our families and taking all safety measures to protect students and staff in our schools. Instead, she worriesthe public's attention isn't focused on a larger nationwide conversation about student mental health. The report found no evidence of that. According to letters sent from a partnership of school districts, the general threat toward all U.S. schools" declares Dec. 17 as "American School Shooting Day. More specifically, these TikTok posts seen in school districts across the country, threaten nationwide violence in schools on December 17, 2021.Upon learning this information, district leaders contacted the Barrington Police Department. VA ABC7 covers national and local news, sports, weather . A spokesperson told PEOPLE that the company is investigating. The school now says it is receiving threats of violence. But parents also debated whether that decision was right, said Bello, the mom in Needham. For instance, he removed a suggestion that the Army National Guard and its Military Police be deployed to certain school districts. Whether done as a joke or with malicious intent, its unacceptable. If a student witnesses any harming behaviors it should be reported immediately. Glenview Police Department said it is aware of the threat and encouraged "everyone to remain vigilant," but added that there is no credible information that it is related to any school in Illinois. Oura Ring Review: Is the Oura Ring Worth It? The unruly and violent conduct at many school board meetings, plus death threats directed toward elected members, has risen to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes, the national group . The National Center for Education Statistics on Tuesday released a 31-page report that found there were at least 93 incidents with casualties at public and private schools across the United States in 2020-21. "We expect Friday to be a normal school day and students should be in attendance.". She worries abouther children's anxiety and comfort at school moving forward. Out of an abundance of caution, our schools will be in continual contact with law enforcement throughout the day on Friday.". It would be unlikely that TikTok would be liable if there were actually to be a shooting, said Jeff Kosseff, who wrote a book about Section 230 and teaches cybersecurity law at the U.S. Educators announced plans to increase security in response to TikTok posts warning of shooting and bomb threats at schools around the country Friday as officials assured parents the viral posts were not considered credible. Schools take precautions against TikTok threat, Shodack Central School District in New York, a number of school districts across Wisconsin, New study spotlights teen use of digital media during pandemic. Today, Peru received another email regarding another string of threats made on TikTok this time threatening school shootings. In the weeks after the deadly mass shooting, there have been widespread calls across the country for tighter gun control measures. As a precaution, there will be additional law enforcement on campus tomorrow," Perry wrote. SEE ALSO | Evanston Township High School lockdown lifted after 2 guns found. "We just try to have extra presence at school, be highly visible, try to reassure the students that were here," Bowers said. Families across Massachusetts receive school alerts about vague national shooting threat. IE 11 is not supported. FBI data shows dramatic rise in school shootings across U.S. Texas official calls Uvalde shooting response an abject failure, President Biden signs bipartisan gun bill into law. Evanston Township High School lockdown lifted after 2 guns found, New details released on Ethan Crumbley's violent drawings reported before Michigan school shooting, Run, hide, fight: Protect yourself in an active shooter situation, https://www.anonymousalerts.com/mainetownshiphsd207/. After shadow minister Pat McFadden criticised Just Stop Oil, one of the group's backers, Dale Vince, justifies recent action by the group by saying "arguing" about it on TV is "evidence of success". Should any safety concerns arise, they will be investigated immediately and thoroughly following CPS protocol to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff.Safety is a collective responsibility, and I would like to emphasize the importance of using social media responsibly. "And checking yourself to also make sure that you're not playing into it. School districts in Summit County and nationwide increased security today because to TikTok posts warning of shooting and bomb threats. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. The social media posts, which are being shared on platforms such as TikTok, are warning about the possibility of nationwide shootings or bomb threats associated with this day. As a parent, Peru says that while the last two weeks have been hard, she doesn't feel like things are completely out of control because she can and will keep her children home if she feels she needs to. Educators announced plans to increase security in response to TikTok posts warning of shooting and bomb threats at schools around the country Friday as officials assured parents the . This [new] groups moving along, he said. The investigation, conducted by the law firm Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, put the blame for the letter almost entirely on former executive director Chip Slaven, who was fired as the controversy mounted. A complete school investigation and any resulting school disciplinary action in alignment with our policies on threats of violence will be taken as well, Holm wrote.NORWALK RESPONSEIn Norwalk, parents are joining students and district employees at the school Friday to have an extra eye on the kids' safety. exhaustively searched for . "I don't regret keeping her home.". She has a constant headache, and she has stomach pains and cramps and is cranky and just on edge and shes not sleeping as much and shes out of a routine, she explains. Weingarten is 65 and just over five feet tall. As these acts of malice, violence, and threats against public school officials have increased, the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes, the letter said. Trust between families and the education establishment has frayed over the past two years, and incidents like this are one of the many reasons why., News explained in charts, maps, photography and videos, National school board group says it wrongly took sides in political debate, Millions of Muslims head for Hajj pilgrimage as covid restrictions lift, Consortium of State School Boards Association. Klinger says these types of threats have evolved, and their different forms including on social media platforms like TikTok have increased the reach and impact of threats of targeted violence against students in schools. stay safe America. The letter did not use the term parents, but because school board activists are typically parents, critics believed that conservative parents were being called terrorists. A number of school districts around the country are responding to an anonymous threat on TikTok that seemingly warns against students attending class on Friday. They have a lot of flexibility to be doing the right thing and taking down harmful content. Posts on the social media platform. Some have suggested that White House wanted the NSBA letter to justify its own desire to crack down on conservatives at school board meetings and that it rewarded Garcia for sending it with the appointment. According to Harford County Public Schools, the threat appears on . The principals at all these schools said the schools were not actually named in a mass, unspecified threat. BEAU, TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS THREAT. / CBS Boston. He has pleaded not guilty. The letter directly contradicts our core commitments to parent engagement, local control and nonpartisanship, said a statement from John Heim, who was installed as executive director after the controversy. TikTok debunked the threats as rumorsin a Twitter thread this week, adding thatthe Federal Bureau of Investigations looked into it. The same was true in Summit County, where districts including Akron, Copley-Fairlawn, Green, Revere and Woodridge sent messages to parents informing them of the posts and promising heightened security. He started at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter in 2017 and interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. The school districts will be in close contact with law enforcement throughout the day. "Racial Mockery or acts of racism are at odds with those beliefs and are absolutely unacceptable," Trinity High School President Nathan Stanton said in a letter to the community. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. According to Syracuse.com, the threat labeled December 17, "National Shoot Up Your School Day," and does not name a specific school or district. Districts in California, Texas . No specific schools or locations are mentioned in these viral threats, and law enforcement officials in several school districts across the country have said they have not found any credible threats to specific schools. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City. "This comes after multiple recent instances of school threats. In September, a series of thefts from schools appeared to stem from a social media challenge in which students filmed themselves stealing items, especially from bathrooms, to post on social media. "I feel some guilt about that because he hasn't actually been prepared for what he might see on campus today," she said. "Some research shows that the people who weren't physically present at a traumatic event didn't witness it, weren't exposed to it can have higher rates of traumatic stress or overall distress than victims who were present at the event," Curry tells TODAY. . She said Friday that the report confirms her early allegations that the White House and the NSBA were working together behind the scenes. Law enforcement will also be at the school today. The warnings come less than three weeks after four Oxford High School students were killed during a school shooting in Michigan. "But I didn't want to freak him out either.". FOX 10 Phoenix TikTok challenge causes schools across the country to take precautions | LiveNOW from FOX A new TikTok challenge has caused schools across the country to take extra precautions. It shifted the focus away from some frightening threats and decidedly aggressive behavior in Loudoun County, Va., for instance, a school board member endured months of abusive, profane and threatening emails, Facebook messages and phone calls to a defiant defense of free speech and local control. Ethan Crumbley, 15, is charged as an adult with multiple crimes, including terrorism causing death and four counts of first-degree murder. "I don't want to go any further than saying that there's an encouragement of violence.". As always, we would like to remind members of the public that if they observe anything suspicious to report it to law enforcement immediately. The posts follow a disturbing trend that has had students acting out in response to social media challenges. Photo by Peter J. Thompson/National Post This remediation is evidently not going smoothly at . FLORIDA TODAY education reporter Bailey Gallion contributed to this report. "Its a huge outcry for help, and I think that message is getting missed," she said. Trump, with National School Safety and Security Services, urged parents to talk with their children about what information they're seeing online and alert school officials and law enforcement about potential threats. "I am glad schools are taking the threat seriously and are proactively working closely with law enforcement.". Poe said many are calling the TikTok trend "National Shoot Up Your School Day." According to letters sent from a partnership of school districts, the general threat toward all U.S. schools" declares Dec. 17 as "American School Shooting Day.". Several high schools in Wake County and others across the state are taking extra security measures on Friday due to a social media threat that appears to target multiple campuses. While most are not directed at any specific school, such posts warned of national "school shooting day" Friday. "At this time, law enforcement has not acquired any evidence that would deem these threats as credible in our area. The school districts also ask families and teachers to "take this opportunity to talk with your students about the appropriate use of social media, and the seriousness and resulting consequences of making any kind of threat. They send fear and panic through a community" says Ken Trump, President of National School Safety and Security Services, who directed a new study of school threats across the country. The National Center for Education Statistics found that there were at least 93 incidents involving casualties at public and private schools across the U.S. People sit on the curb outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24 as state troopers guard the area. She said the district is working closely with Akron police to increase security, which will include metal detectors in some buildings. After receiving the NSBA letter, Biden himself called the president of the NSBA board to thank her, a fact she declined to discuss publicly at the time because she did not want to further the perception that the group was in cahoots with the White House, the report found. MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. An online school threat had parents, students and law enforcement scrambling Thursday evening. A few weeks after the letter was sent, as complaints piled up, the NSBA apologized, saying there was no justification for some of the language included. On Friday, the group went further, denouncing the letter altogether. TikTok said it is handling the rumored threats with the "utmost seriousness". What we know about TikTok challenges in Akron Public Schools, other area districts, Summit schools respond to 'devious licks' challenges on TikTok: What parents need to know, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. That means engaging inactivities or processes that calm you down, relax youor connect you to others in meaningful ways. For instance, a credible threat oftenpictures a weapon or a caption that's threatening or intimidating. We wake up and hear that the Islamic State has. More:What we know about TikTok challenges in Akron Public Schools, other area districts. The Des Plaines Police and the Park Ridge Police departments are both aware of these nonspecific national messages being circulated.
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