VIRGINIA, USA — A new TikTok trend has Hampton Roads school divisions increasing police presence on campuses Friday.
Several school divisions released statements Thursday saying they were aware of the current trend, and they are working with local sheriff's offices and police departments to monitor the threats.
Many have said they are going to increase both plain-clothed and uniform officers on campus Friday as a safety precaution.
According to several posts from various school divisions, the trend refers to a threat to school safety "for every school in the USA." The posts warned that multiple schools would receive shooting and bomb threats.
A post from Gloucester County Sheriff's Office said deputies have investigated the threats. They said none of the current videos originated in their school district or jurisdiction, but they are continuing to monitor the situation.
The sheriff's office said the threats are originating from different states and even Canada.
Norfolk Police Department tweeted about a specific threat towards a school with the letters "GHS." They determined the post is not credible.
However, Norfolk police said students can expect to see officers in and around schools Friday "out of an abundance of caution."
A spokeswoman for Virginia Beach City Public Schools said this situation serves as a good example of why it's important to avoid sharing posts online that have to do with school threats.
"Even jokes 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 to take the opportunity to speak with them about being responsible citizens online," the spokeswoman wrote.
The York County School Division also released a statement, adding that they plan to host a community conversation in January to discuss how the community can work together to address these serious issues.
They said more information about that conversation will be shared after winter break.
Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools also acknowledged the trend saying, "the City of Williamsburg and James City County Police departments are aware of this situation and are collaborating with school staff. You may see increased law enforcement visibility in the vicinity of our schools on Friday."
The superintendent at Southampton County Schools released a letter late Thursday night as well. She said "Since the perceived threat was not specifically made toward our schools, at this juncture, the schools will be open tomorrow. Moreover, we will have increased police presence in our schools, tomorrow, for added safety and security."
TikTok has acknowledged the trend and issued a statement on Twitter Thursday.
It read, "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."