Districts Increase Security in Response to TikTok Challenge

School districts around the country are ramping up security in response to a TikTok challenge that that has reportedly gone viral. The challenge encourages users to make “hoax threats” about a school shooting to occur on Friday, Dec. 17. Even though school staff and law enforcement officials say that they haven’t received any credible threats to follow through, many are increasing police presence on campus—and notifying parents—out of an abundance of caution.

“We are writing to inform you and not alarm you,” said school administrators from Oak Park and River Forest, Ill., in an email to parents. “We have been made aware of a nationwide viral TikTok trend about ‘school shooting and bomb threats for every school in the USA even elementary’ on Friday, December 17.”

CBS News reports that school officials in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas are aware of the trend and have made plans to station more officers in schools.

Broward County Public Schools in Miami, Fla., was among the first to announce the precautionary measures, noting that the “threat did not originate locally and is not believed to be credible.”

In North Texas, the Arlington Police Department warned that such threats—whether real or not—will have legal consequences. Following the shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas, in October 2021, officials have received a series of copycat threats that have led to several arrests.

“The FBI has been very clear from the beginning of this that they are there to lend their full support any time a threat is made to a school,” said Officer Jessie Minton of the Arlington Police Department. “I can think of probably five or six in just this semester that we have had to arrest people out of the school, or go to their home and an arrest was made,” said Officer Minton.

Michigan State Police said that as of Thursday, Dec. 16, they had not received any credible threats. Gilroy High School in northern California announced plans to close for the day. And schools in the Houston, Texas, area have reportedly barred students from wearing backpacks for the day.

TikTok announced in a Tweet that it is cooperating with law enforcement to investigate such threats. “We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness,” said the statement, “which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • How a Rural School District Enhanced Safety, Reduced Vaping, and Improved Efficiency by Modernizing Security

    As educational leaders, our primary mission is creating safe, productive learning environments where our students can thrive. Today, that unfortunately means addressing ever-evolving challenges that range from security threats to the growing epidemic of student vaping, all while managing tight budgets and (for many of us) geographically dispersed facilities. Read Now

  • Turning Surveillance Into Strategy: AI’s Role in Driving Proactive Security

    Video surveillance has long been part of the campus safety toolkit, indispensable for investigating security incidents after they occur and a valuable tool for proactive deterrent. Read Now

  • A.C. Camargo Cancer Center Enhances Security, Patient Care with Help from Advanced Video Surveillance

    A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, a leading oncology treatment center in São Paulo, Brazil recognized for its history of innovation, today announced that its partnership with Axis Communications has produced savings of more than $2 million over its first two years, all of which will be reinvested in patient care. A.C. Camargo has deployed more than 2,000 state-of-the-art video surveillance cameras throughout the Center’s corridors, complex care units, and parking lots, embracing a more holistic approach to security that emphasizes patient and employee safety along with improved quality of service. Read Now

  • 2025 Secure Campus Award Winners Announced

    Campus Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 Secure Campus Award winners. Twenty companies are being recognized this year for products that help keep education and business campuses safe. Read Now