RCS, Sheriff’s Office ask for parent assistance to prevent a potential social media challenge to disrupt school on Friday

Rutherford County Schools and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office are asking parents to assist with preventing a potential social media challenge.

State law enforcement officials are reporting that social media influencers may have issued a challenge encouraging students to make fake social media threats toward schools for Friday, Dec. 17, with the intent of creating worry and panic and to disrupt the school day.

The school district is closely monitoring the situation but wants parents to know there have been NO CREDIBLE threats issued against any of our schools or reported around the state. Likewise, the Sheriff’s Office is closely monitoring the information and will investigate any and all threats for credibility.

Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh echoed there are no known credible threats in Tennessee.

“However, with all communications of this type, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office takes these seriously and our school resource officers, patrol and detective divisions are monitoring the information very closely,” Fitzhugh said.

The school district is sending a direct message to all parents this evening with this information and to ask for their assistance.

RCS is asking parents to discuss appropriate social media behavior with their children and to encourage them not to participate in the spreading of false information or social media pranks in an attempt to disrupt school.

The school district will always thoroughly investigate social media threats made against schools, and when it identifies the students responsible for making threats or spreading false rumors as a prank, those students will be disciplined accordingly and will likely face criminal charges, as well.

“School safety is our top priority, and these types of pranks aren’t funny and will not be tolerated,” Director of Schools Bill Spurlock said. “We know parents also value safe learning environments for their children, and we appreciate their assistance with this matter.”