IUSD is aware of troubling posts that have been circulating across the nation this week on the social media platform TikTok. The national posts, which refer to threats to school safety on Friday, December 17 are not specific to a particular school or state and NO threat has been made in relation to IUSD schools.
The posts appear to be part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in our school district. We have heard reports from other districts throughout the state that the same posts are circulating in their schools. The Irvine Police Department (IPD) has investigated the posts, in partnership with the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center (OCIAC), which includes local, state and federal law enforcement collaboration. IPD has informed our District that the posts are unsubstantiated and they, along with OCIAC, do not believe the threat is credible. Both IPD and IUSD are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously. Out of an abundance of caution, IPD will have an increased police presence on and around our campuses tomorrow.
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 immediately notify IPD, your school and a trusted adult.
As always, thank you for your partnership as we work to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students.