What is the December 17 challenge on TikTok?

NATIONWIDE threats perpetuated from a viral TikTok challenge has resulted in districts taking measures to ensure the safety of their schools.

The possibility of school shootings, stemming from a trending TikTok challenge, triggered education systems to react for the purpose of keeping their students and faculty safe.

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What is the December 17 challenge on TikTok?

The trend initially started as a challenge for grade school children and teenagers to skip school on December 17.

Similar TikTok trends have gone viral among the high school aged population where they follow through with engaging in antics during class hours.

The challenge to not attend class on December 17 is a part of a series of school based challenges aimed at the youth through TikTok.

However, the December 17 trend is one of the most alarming ones to go viral and catch the attention of school officials, students, and their parents.

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What does the challenge have to do with school shootings?

It's not clear at what point the challenge to skip school evolved into threats of school shootings, or the specifics of which schools are the targets of these threats.

Nonetheless, education systems have taken the threats from the trend seriously and have gotten law enforcement involved throughout the nation.

The threats of gun violence have continued to plague education institutions and public spaces nationwide.

Various students from different school districts have vowed to not attend school on December 17 for fear of their lives from this challenge.

What did educators say about the December 17 TikTok challenge?

Educational institutions and police officials all over the United States have released statements to their student bodies, families of students, and their faculty to make them aware of the possible danger from the December 17 TikTok trend.

The Maryland Center for School Safety spoke to the press on the heels of the TikTok threats going viral.

"The Maryland Center for School Safety shared the information with school districts earlier this week. We have shared the information with our leadership team and principals.At this time, we are not putting any systemwide messaging out but will do so if necessary," the officials said.

District 207 of Illinois decided to involve police officials, saying; "Out of an abundance of caution, there will be extra police presence at our schools tomorrow in addition to our school resource officers being at our schools as usual."

"We believe this threat may be related to Tik Tok challenge and not a credible threat. We have patrols concentrated in certain areas as a precaution," said the Charlton Police Department of Massachussets.

As the details develop, more schools are certain to weigh in.