Message from Superintendent Reyes regarding nationwide TikTok threat trend

Dr. Susana Reyes, Superintendent of Shoreline Schools

Dr. Susana Reyes, Superintendent

Shoreline Schools

Our school district has become aware of a troubling post that has been widely shared nationwide this week on the social media platform TikTok. 

The post refers to a threat to school safety “for every school in the USA” on Friday, December 17.

The post appears to be part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in our school district or any other district in our state. 

We have heard reports from other districts that the same post is circulating in their schools. You can read an article about this national trend here.

Because of how widely broadcast this has been in the media and on social media, we have had a number of students report concerns today.

While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously. 

If there is ever a credible threat to any of our schools, families would be notified by us directly and our safety protocols would be enacted immediately.

The King County Sheriff’s Office also shared this press release today stating that “the Sheriff’s Office is presently unaware of any credible threats to King County schools.”

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 notify a school staff member or trusted adult right away. Safety tips can also be submitted via text, email, phone or web 24/7 through our Vector Alert Online Tip Reporting System.

As always, thank you for your partnership as we work to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students.