Texas Schools Say No Backpacks, Add Security Amid TikTok Shooting Threat

HOUSTON — Multiple school districts in the Houston area were reportedly taking safety precautions Friday as vague shooting threats spread around the country as part of a TikTok challenge. Meanwhile, Austin ISD police said they're monitoring the threats and have added security at schools, and Kaufman High School southeast of Dallas closed Friday due to a threat towards the campus.

The threat was received Wednesday afternoon, and was in line with a social media trend threatening violence against schools across the country, according to a letter sent to parents.

"The threat did not include a specific time, but was specific to a date: December 17," the letter said. "This falls in line with a national TikTok trend threatening to coordinate violence at schools on December 17, 2021."

The Kaufman ISD police were involved and appropriate actions have been taken, the letter said. There were no weapons on the campus.

A nationwide December TikTok challenge encouraged teens to threaten school violence for "American School Shooting Day" on Friday, Dec. 17.

Many of the threats warn of shootings or bombings at schools. In the Houston area, middle- and high-school students in Fort Bend ISD were asked to come to school without backpacks "out of an abundance of caution," KHOU-TV reported.

"We are taking this action in the wake of several social media sites challenging students nationwide to threaten their schools. This issue is far beyond just Fort Bend ISD," the district said in a statement. "We want you to know that over the past several days our Fort Bend ISD police officers have investigated social media allegations and rumors that individuals would cause harm on our campuses. Our investigators have been very successful locating individuals responsible for the posts. Please know that consequences will be significant and will include any and all applicable criminal charges."

Other school districts that asked students to come with no backback: Katy ISD, Alief ISD, Lamar CISD, La Porte ISD, Waller ISD and Channelview ISD, according to KHOU-TV. Meanwhile, individual Houston ISD campuses are issuing their own recommendations on backpacks.

Pedro Lopez, chief of Houston ISD police, told parents in an email they do not consider the threats credible, but are monitoring the situation. Klein ISD also sent a letter home to parents that said police have found no evidence of a threat locally.

Some districts across the country said they've been "inundated" with questions about the social media school violence rumors and have responded in letters to parents and public statements in the days leading up to Friday.

While it's unclear where the December rumor originated, a news release issued by the Tooele County School District in Utah said the original threat started as a way for students to skip school, but "morphed into something much more disturbing."

This isn't the first time a social media challenge has impacted schools.

In September, another challenge called "Devious Licks" encouraged raucous acts of vandalism at schools. To participate in the challenge, students and TikTok users shattered mirrors, stole soap dispensers, fire alarms and football field turf, and intentionally clogged toilets, all while filming the antics to post on TikTok.