Dear Families,
The Belle Fourche School District is aware of a troubling post that has been shared widely this week on the social media platform TikTok. The post refers to a threat to school safety “for every school in the USA, even elementary,” on Friday, December 17.
The post appears to be part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in our school district. While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we want you to know we are aware of the threat and are monitoring the situation.
Additionally, the district has been in contact with the Belle Fourche Police Department regarding the post. We will have increased police presence at or around our buildings on Friday as an added precaution.
This threat serves as an important reminder to avoid sharing posts online that refer to school safety threats. Even if they are not credible threats, they can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for our students, families, and staff. We ask our families to monitor their children’s social media activity.
If you or your child become aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, please notify a school staff member, a trusted adult, or law enforcement right away.
As always, thank you for your partnership as we work to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Steve Willard,
Belle Fourche School District Superintendent