October 5, 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The Hawaii State Department of Education is aware of the planned Tik Tok challenges that are circulating online, and we are asking families to help us shut these down quickly.
The latest trend on the social media platform encourages students to participate in monthly “challenges” involving vandalism, violence and other inappropriate behavior while at school.
This is a nationwide concern as school districts across the country have been responding to theft, school property damage and other concerning student behavior as a result of these harmful and destructive challenges. This has impacted school operations during an already challenging year and has resulted in unnecessary distractions from the important work schools are doing to keep students safe and learning in-person.
The behaviors encouraged by these Tik Tok challenges will not be tolerated by our schools. These challenges have escalated beyond minor pranks and are serious offenses that can lead to severe disciplinary consequences. The Department is working closely with federal, state and county law enforcement. Offenders will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and face student disciplinary action.
Please help our schools by speaking to your child(ren) about the serious nature of these challenges and the repercussions that can result from participating. Even if your child doesn't have Tik Tok or isn't likely to be involved in this type of inappropriate behavior, please encourage them to relay this information to their peers or to speak to a trusted adult on campus if they become aware of any information about these challenges occurring at school.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your cooperative efforts to help ensure that our Hawaii public schools are safe for all students and staff.
Mahalo,
Keith T. Hayashi
State of Hawaii Department of Education
Interim Superintendent