• Bridgeport Public Schools

    December 16, 2021

    Hello Bridgeport Public Schools,

    The Bridgeport Public Schools has become 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 on Friday, December 17th. At this time, we are being informed that these are not credible threats in Connecticut.

    The post appears to be part of a national TikTok trend and it did not originate in our school district. We have heard reports from other districts that the same post is circulating in their schools. It seems that the threats originated from a TikTok challenge to skip school on Friday, December 17, 2021.

    While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously. The district will continue to work closely with the Bridgeport Police Department regarding all suspicious social media posts. We may have an increased police presence in our buildings on Friday as an added precaution.

    This situation serves as a good example of why it is important 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 and speak with them about proper behavior online. 

    As always, thank you for your partnership as we work to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students.

    Sincerely,
    Michael J. Testani
    Superintendent of Schools