School officials: TikTok threats aimed at students were a hoax

Shelter Island parents received letters informing them of a nationwide threat to schools believed to be a hoax, but one that is rapidly spreading via social media, especially TikTok.

It started with a TikTok post warning there would be school shootings and bomb threats and other violence on Friday, Dec. 17, in “every school” in the country.

Many of the videos on TikTok included hashtags such as #december17th, #staysafe, #Schoolshootings, #bombthreats, #skipschool. Police officials noted that some  people who were posting the messages indicated that they believed it may be a hoax, but were sharing the information anyway.

Suffolk County Police, like police throughout the country, have notified school districts of the threat that is being investigated by Homeland Security.

“No such threats are specific to schools in our region,” Shelter Island Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D., said in a letter to parents sent out Dec. 16. But the repeated reposting of the threats on social media can give the perception that they are regionally focused, he said.

“As a precautionary measure,” Mr. Doelger said he spoke to Shelter Island Police to provide a police presence at the school on Friday.

“We have been informed that the officers will be monitoring the campus in the morning and throughout the day,” he said. “As always, the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our foremost priorities,” Mr. Doelger said. He ensured that all district personnel were aware of the social media threat so they would be vigilant.

“In the age of social media, threats such as this one will ‘cycle through’ the media from time to time,” the superintendent said. “It is unfortunate that during a time of joy and celebration, there are those who seek to disrupt the educational process and the normalcy we strive for each day,” he said.

Neighboring school districts responded similarly, with some advising families to speak with their children about proper use of social media that includes not sharing images or postings that haven’t been vetted.