How do you react when a person throws out a nation-wide challenge on social media to shoot people in schools on December 17, 2021?
Social media, in this case TikTok, allows anyone to make a threat, deliver it around the country immediately and sit back and watch the panic as school officials, students and parents try to deal with the reality that someone might accept the challenge to do harm. For their part, TikTok has stated that they have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via their platform.
Making a terroristic threat to strike fear into people, expend valuable time and resources to assess the threat and create chaos is criminal. I have a hard time imagining in this day and age of selective censorship and fact checking, that this type of behavior can't be traced, blocked and eliminated from social media. I'm sure the FBI is working on it as I type this message. In the meantime, it is left to us to be vigilant and protect our kids and adults in our schools.
Please know that while there is no credible threat to Loup City Public Schools, we are always protective of our kids and will continue to keep a watchful eye, with your help, as we stay calm, but alert.
Parents, December 17 has come and gone without anyone acting on the suggestion they do something horrific, but schools will not relax next Monday, nor any day that follows. While TikTok is potentially an easy way to spread fear, school officials are watching every day for credible evidence of danger. Please help us by talking with your kids about avoiding the negative influences of social media. Engage them and converse about being a positive force in the home, school and community. Partner with our school to keep kids safe, calm and focused on all the good the world has to offer them.
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