TikTok (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
#Roommates, it seems that as soon as one TikTok challenge ends, another begins—however the latest is very disturbing and has teachers nationwide on high-alert. According to multiple reports, there is a viral new “Slap A Teacher” TikTok challenge involving students assaulting their teachers and then posting it online.
@People reports, U.S. school districts are currently warning teachers regarding a violent new trend on TikTok that could have students facing very serious consequences, including criminal charges. Named the “Slap A Teacher” challenge, TikTok users are encouraged to slap their teachers and post the assault to the popular social media platform—and multiple incidents have already been reported, which will likely find many students expelled or worse. Within the last few days, a teacher in Springfield, Missouri was slapped by a student and an elementary school teacher in South Carolina was hit in the back of the head. Memos have been sent to teachers at schools throughout the U.S. alerting them that the assault is on the rise and parents have been advised to monitor their children’s social media activity.
In response to the “Slap A Teacher” challenge rising in popularity, a TikTok spokesperson stated, “This alleged ‘challenge’ would violate our policies and we would aggressively remove such content. But the reality is that we have not found related content on our platform, and most people appear to be learning about the offline dare from sources other than TikTok.” Additionally, Bryan Vaughn, Director of the Lancaster County School District in Pennsylvania, spoke about the dangerous trend, “This type of behavior just like theft and destruction of property is not a prank. It’s criminal behavior. An assault on a staff member is an expellable offense which means the student is removed from the school for the rest of the year.”
He continued, adding “We share this information with parents so you can educate your kids on the issue and monitor their social media habits. We also hope parents will speak with their kids about the serious repercussions of making poor decisions and peer pressure.”
Meanwhile, the California Teachers Association also issued a district-wide warning that read, “Educators beware! As if widespread vandalism in our schools last month wasn’t enough, the same ‘challenge’ circulating on social media networks TikTok and Twitter is now calling for students to ‘slap a staff member…’ It is important to be aware that students here in California may be coerced by social media or their peers to participate.”
The CTA also outlined the severe consequences for any students deciding to participate. “A student perpetrator could face serious consequences, including expulsion or criminal prosecution,” they said.
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