The superintendent of the Churchill County School District said she and the Fallon Police Department were being proactive in notifying parents and staff about social media posts on TikTok threatening gun violence.
According to Summer Stephens, the school district’s message to parents Thursday night stated no threat had been received, but the TikTok challenge appeared to have originated outside of Nevada and may have been an attempt to cancel school before the winter break.
The school district received no threats, but the Carson City School District decided to close schools because of the TikTok challenge.
“The district’s top priority is the safety of students and staff,” Stephens said. “As of right now, social media threats appear to be a stunt, but as a district we continue to remain vigilant and proactive in taking any threat seriously.”
According to the school district in its message, the FPD is monitoring social media with state and federal law enforcement agencies.
“Anyone with information of any specific threat or witness to any suspicious activity in or around schools, should notify FPD, individual school principals/staff, or ChurchillCSD immediately,” Stephens said. “Any student caught making a violent threat on social media causing a school disturbance will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”
This isn’t the first time the school district has notified parents of a TikTok challenge. A challenge called “devious licks” encouraged students in September to steal from school campuses or vandalize facilities, particularly restrooms. The school district had reported isolated incidents of vandalism in restrooms had occurred at both the middle and senior high schools.
In October, TikTok challenge urged students to film and post videos of a student slapping a teacher or staff member. School districts in the state and around the country advised parents that any student who committed such an act would work local law enforcement to bring charges against the perpetrator.
“Any intentional use of force against another person is a criminal offense,” the district said. “Churchill County School District will cooperate fully with law enforcement officers to bring charges against any student who engages in assault or battery of an employee.”
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