Schools across the country are warning students and parents about a dangerous new prank leading students to hit teachers and staffers.Previously, the trend called "devious licks" had students vandalize and steal from school bathrooms. Now, administrators are sending a clear warning to students.A Boston-area school district knows the challenge is very real after it happened to a middle school teacher on Thursday at Braintree School District."Please be aware that physically assaulting any member in the Braintree schools will immediately result in notification to the Braintree Police Department and significant school-based discipline, up to and including, expulsion. The potential legal charges range from assault to indecent assault and battery," Braintree schools said in a letter.Pittsburgh Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Wayne Walters said in a letter this week that any engagement in the social media challenge "will not be tolerated."Schools across the country have said that students could risk expulsion and criminal charges.Sakinah Shaahid-Lowman has a 16-year-old at Obama Academy in Pittsburgh."She was like 'I know if I was to ever try to do that I would be in so much trouble,'" she said. "I was shocked like they’re actually doing this for real. She showed me some clips and I’m like they're actually doing this."The president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Nina Esposito-Visgitis calls the latest trend targeting teachers "cruel.""We worked so hard to get back into our schools," she said. "I think it’s very sad and kind of shocking that this is something that’s even being discussed."Meanwhile, LaShonda Bilbo-Ervin, of Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, said a warning was prompted in part by teachers bringing this social media trend to the attention of administrators."We owe them safety and security as well as we owe for the students inside our building," she said. "And so we're supporting our teachers by sending the message out to our families that we are aware of this, and then we ultimately will not condone those actions."TikTok said the challenge will be removed from its platform if found."The rumored 'slap a teacher' dare is an insult to educators everywhere. And while this is not a trend on TikTok, if at any point it shows up, content will be removed," TikTok said.Hearst stations WTAE, KMBC and WCVB contributed to this report.
Schools across the country are warning students and parents about a dangerous new prank leading students to hit teachers and staffers.
Previously, the trend called "devious licks" had students vandalize and steal from school bathrooms. Now, administrators are sending a clear warning to students.
A Boston-area school district knows the challenge is very real after it happened to a middle school teacher on Thursday at Braintree School District.
"Please be aware that physically assaulting any member in the Braintree schools will immediately result in notification to the Braintree Police Department and significant school-based discipline, up to and including, expulsion. The potential legal charges range from assault to indecent assault and battery," Braintree schools said in a letter.
Pittsburgh Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Wayne Walters said in a letter this week that any engagement in the social media challenge "will not be tolerated."
Schools across the country have said that students could risk expulsion and criminal charges.
Sakinah Shaahid-Lowman has a 16-year-old at Obama Academy in Pittsburgh.
"She was like 'I know if I was to ever try to do that I would be in so much trouble,'" she said. "I was shocked like they’re actually doing this for real. She showed me some clips and I’m like they're actually doing this."
The president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Nina Esposito-Visgitis calls the latest trend targeting teachers "cruel."
"We worked so hard to get back into our schools," she said. "I think it’s very sad and kind of shocking that this is something that’s even being discussed."
Meanwhile, LaShonda Bilbo-Ervin, of Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, said a warning was prompted in part by teachers bringing this social media trend to the attention of administrators.
"We owe them safety and security as well as we owe for the students inside our building," she said. "And so we're supporting our teachers by sending the message out to our families that we are aware of this, and then we ultimately will not condone those actions."
TikTok said the challenge will be removed from its platform if found.
"The rumored 'slap a teacher' dare is an insult to educators everywhere. And while this is not a trend on TikTok, if at any point it shows up, content will be removed," TikTok said.
Hearst stations WTAE, KMBC and WCVB contributed to this report.
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