Schools on alert about TikTok trend threatening violence

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A generalized threat of violence to schools seen on the social media app TikTok prompted increased safety measures across the country Friday, and educators in South Florida were on guard.

The Miami-Dade and Broward school districts said they had added patrols in place, and Broward’s interim public schools superintendent had strong words for social media platforms for not doing more to stop the threats.

“America’s education system is under attack right now. We are under attack by a social media platform that will not intervene when it is necessary,” Broward County Schools Interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright said of TikTok at a Friday morning news conference. “Just as you cannot go into an airport and say the word “bomb,” it should not be allowed on a social media platform for individuals to make threats toward schools.”

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Cartwright also pleaded with lawmakers to take action.

“Federal government, we need your help,” she said. “We need some type of oversight so that these type of threats stop. Or at least [are] taken seriously by the company itself that provides the platform for these threats to occur.”

An email sent to Broward County parents late Thursday reads in part: “While this threat did not originate locally and is not believed to be credible, there will be increased law enforcement presence across our schools. District administrators and staff will also have increased vigilance.”

Miami-Dade County Public Schools put out a similar statement, citing additional police presence and vigilance.

TikTok addressed the threats, saying: “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.”

Later, the company wrote: “We’ve exhaustively searched for content that promotes violence at schools today, but have still found nothing. What we find are videos discussing this rumor and warning others to stay safe. Local authorities, the FBI, and DHS have confirmed there’s no credible threat, so we’re working to remove alarmist warnings that violate our misinformation policy. If we did find promotion of violence on our platform, we’d remove and report it to law enforcement.”

The latest concerns come on the heels of Thursday’s arrest of a 13-year-old girl in Miami-Dade who now faces 10 felony charges for allegedly posting a threat to 10 South Florida schools on Instagram.

Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco said the threats have become a disruption to the educational process.

“It’s really, truly affecting the social, emotional, mental health of our students and all of our employees,” she said, “because we just really don’t know if it’s going to be played out.”

Several other threats of violence, and the arrests of teens, have preceded it just this year. Officials urge parents to get involved in fighting this trend.

“We really need to practice additional conversations with the community and engage parents in joining us in creating a new narrative for kids,” said Alberto Carvalho, the outgoing superintendent in Miami-Dade.

Cartwright urged parents to make themselves aware of their children’s social media presence and instructed students to speak up if they see their friends making or contemplating threats.

Authorities also warn students that making threats like these carry serious, lifelong consequences.

“These are felony charges. It isn’t a misdemeanor, isn’t a citation, it’s not even a warrant,” Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said. “These are felony criminal charges that will stay with them for the rest of their life.”