Bay Area school districts take swift action after TikTok posts warning of violence

GILROY, Calif. - San Ramon Valley High School on Friday saw the dismissal of students amid an air of concern.

This comes after a TikTok post on Thursday threatened violence the next day and was spread across the Bay Area and nation.

"The impact social media has on all of us. Because it adds a whole other layer. Whether we’re talking about threats of violence. Whether we’re talking about bullying. Whether we’re talking about inappropriate behavior," said Dr. John Malloy, superintendent of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District.

A template approach was used. The posts were tailored to each school and promises a shooting on Dec. 17and part of the message read "please don’t go."

School officials closed Gilroy High School on Friday due to the threat.

A message on the school district website read in part, "We understand that canceling classes presents an unintended disruption for our staff and students..."

"It’s incredibly disruptive to students and teachers," said Dr. Heather Lattimer, dean of the College of Education at San Jose State University. "It’s often very hard to implement a lesson plan when students are feeling safe and comfortable. Because they’re not going to be able to engage and to learn."

San Mateo County sheriff’s detectives on Thursday night arrested a 16-year-old in connection with a similar post, threatening violence at a Peninsula-area high school. That child has been charged with a felony for making criminal threats.

"It doesn’t matter what’s current or trending, we take all threats seriously. And they will be thoroughly investigated," said Detective Javier Acosta of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

Experts said students perpetrating school pranks is akin to a rite of passage.

"Usually something will spread very quickly through TikTok or other social media, and everybody will want to participate with it very quickly. And they might have a lot of different specific reasons to do so," said Dr. Jeffrey Debris-Carl, a child behavioral expert at the University of New Haven.

Bur threatening violence during what experts said is an up-tick in violence on school campuses, could signal something else.

"It could be a significant cry for help for someone who is reaching out in need of services to address whatever anxiety or feelings they may have," said Dr. Travis Gayles, chief health officer for Hazel Health, a company that provides telehealth appointments at schools nation-wide.

School district officials across the Bay Area said they’ll monitor social media and their campuses in the coming days. The teen arrested in San Mateo County will see his casework make its way through juvenile court.