BCAT News

An online “challenge” that is prompting students to act violently in school on Friday is causing many school districts to take notice, including here in Burlington.

“The Burlington Public Schools has become aware of a troubling post that has been shared widely this week on the social media platform TikTok,” a letter from Superintendent Eric Conti states. “The post refers to a threat to school safety ‘for every school in the USA, even elementary,’ on Friday, December 17, 2021.”

According to Conti, the post appears to be part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in the Burlington school district.

“We have heard reports from other districts that the same post is circulating in their schools,” he wrote. “While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously.”

Additionally, Conti the district has been in contact with the Burlington Police Department regarding the post.

Chief Thomas Browne said in a statement to BNEWS that the department is aware of the challenge and will have an increased presence in Burlington schools on Friday. There is already an increased presence at the high school in response to an anonymous threat posted on Instagram against the school that administrators were made aware of on Tuesday.

Superintendent Conti said the spreading of this challenge on the youth-oriented social media site shows the need for parents to monitor their childrens’ online activities.

“This situation serves as a good example of why it is important to avoid sharing posts online that refer to school safety threats,” he said. “Even if they are not credible threats, they can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for our students, families, and staff. We ask our families to monitor their children’s social media activity and speak with them about proper behavior online.”

Finally, Superintendent Conti said if you or your child become aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, to please notify a school staff member or trusted adult right away.

“As always, thank you for your partnership as we work to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students,” he concludes.