Nationwide TikTok challenge has Atlanta Public Schools taking heightened precautions

ATLANTA - A new TikTok challenge has several school districts across the country taking heightened precautions, including Atlanta Public Schools.

It’s unclear where the TikTok school threat on Dec. 17 emerged, but the challenge suggests numerous school shootings will take place on December 17. Authorities in cities across the country have said they’ve received no evidence that the threats are credible, but school officials are taking heightened safety measures as a precaution.

NATIONAL TIKTOK CHALLENGE CAUSES SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO TAKE HEIGHTENED PRECAUTION

In a statement released Thursday, APS said it was aware of the TikTok challenged that encourages students to make threats to schools.

"The posts appear to be part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in Atlanta Public Schools. We have heard reports from other districts that the same post is circulating in their schools. While we do not believe the threat to be credible, our Atlanta Public Schools Police Department and other metro-area law enforcement are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously.

"You may see additional security and police presence in our buildings on Friday as an added precaution.
This situation serves as a good example of why it is 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 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.

"If you or your child become aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, please utilize our Say Something Anonymous Reporting System or  notify a school staff member or trusted adult right away.

"Ensuring a safe and secure learning environment requires all of us. Thank you for reinforcing this message to our students."

GROUP CALLS ON TIKTOK TO ADD ‘MIRROR’ FEATURE FOR PARENTS TO SEE KIDS FEEDS

TikTok has removed most of the challenges from its platform. Thursday afternoon, the social media platform released a statement on Twitter. 

"We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, 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," the company wrote.

Threats against schools have been increasing. Recently, a Newton County 14-year-old was arrested after authorities said they made terroristic threats against a local high school.