A post on the social media platform TilTok has school districts around the area on alert. The post refers to a Nationwide threat to school safety “for every school in the U. S. A., even elementary”, today. In a letter to USD 290 patrons yesterday, Superintendent Dr. Ryan Cobbs said the post appears to be part of a National TikTok trend and did not originate in this school district. There have been reports from other districts that the same post is circulating in their schools. Cobbs does not believe the threat to be credible; however, they are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously.
In the letter, Cobbs says they have been in close contact with the Ottawa police and there was an increased police presence in the buildings today, as an added precaution. He says this is a good example of why it’s important to avoid sharing posts online that refer to school safety threats. Even if they are not credible threats, they can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for students, families and staff. He asks families to monitor their children’s social media activity and talk with them about proper behavior online.
If you or your child become aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, please notify a school staff member or trusted adult right away. The Wellsville, Central Heights and West Franklin School districts also sent a letter to patrons about the TikTok post. The post has been circulating around the Country for the past several days.
