After an elementary school student in South Carolina slapped their teacher on the head for a TikTok, the video has prompted lawmakers and educators to speak up and stop the challenge from gaining traction in other states.
As reported by the Washington Post, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong urged the app to speak with educators in different states to “stop this reckless content.”
“TikTok fails to control the spread of dangerous content,” AG Tong wrote. “I am urging TikTok to come to CT to meet with educators and parents and commit to reforms that stop this reckless content.”
The Lancaster County school district in South Carolina released a statement via Facebook after the incident which threatened expulsion for any students who attempt to take part in the trend.”
“Any student who physically assaults a staff member will be held responsible both legally and by board policy,” it read. “Assault on a staff member is an expellable offense which means the student is removed from the school for the rest of the year.”
The California Teachers Association also issued a warning on Wednesday, advising staff to stay alert and aware of possible assaults that could happen.
“Slapping a teacher, regardless of whether it results in injury, is assault and battery and is completely unacceptable and illegal,” the notice read. “Recording in a classroom or on other school property without permission is illegal.”
While the trend is getting a lot of attention from various school districts, it still appears very few students are participating in it. Isolated incidents have been reported in schools in Springfield, Missouri as well as South Carolina, but not enough to constitute a widespread “viral” trend yet.
TikTok has reportedly tried to erase the hashtags associated with the violent trend from its site.
