[Note: This article has been updated with a press release from New Canaan Police and a Board of Education statement.]
Police said Monday afternoon that concerning TikTok posts directed at New Canaan High School originated out-of-state.
New Canaan Police Department detectives “are working diligently to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the posts, which included derogatory content and messages suggesting students stay home from school,” according to a press release issued Monday afternoon by Police Chief John DiFederico.
The FBI and a designated “fusion center” composed of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are working with the New Canaan Police Department following the posts, he said in the release.
“The department is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness while applying all available resources to bring it to a swift resolution,” DiFederico said.
According to district officials, “mean-spirited and hateful posts” that appeared recently on a TikTok account (since deactivated) included “insulting” and “demeaning” language. A second account “potentially from the same individual” later surfaced with messages saying “NC kids u might wanna stay home from school tmrw” and “cant get rid of me” with three water gun emojis, according to an email that New Canaan High School Principal Bill Egan sent to the school community late Sunday.
Police have “identified the origination of the posts, which are out of state,” DiFederico said in the press release.
He continued: “The Police Department has determined there is no credible threat to New Canaan High School, the Town of New Canaan, or the broader community. The public is reminded that the community remains safe. Extra police presence was visible at the high school today as a precautionary measure, and officers will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
During Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, Chair Phill Hogan spoke to what he called “the threat and vulgar content directed at our students on social media yesterday.”
“To our parents: Your concerns are our concerns,” Hogan said at the meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. “All nine of us have children in the New Canaan Public Schools system. Some of us have high school children. What was posted last night was completely unacceptable, and we understand the fear, anger, and confusion it caused. The safety of New Canaan students is not one priority among many, but rather the foundational priority upon which all other priorities reside. If our students aren’t feeling safe and confident as they walk the halls and interact in the classrooms, the work that goes on in our schools isn’t nearly as effective. Please also know that our schools are consistently safe, secure and closely monitored. We’ve established protocols, trained staff, and ongoing coordination with local law enforcement to ensure a strong, proactive presence in and around our buildings each and every day.”
Hogan added that the Board of Ed supports the statement of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi regarding social media and sharing details there.
“These platforms are loaded with bad actors and bad intentions, and we’d ask families and students to exercise extreme caution when using them,” Hogan said. “Thank you to Chief DiFederico and the New Canaan Police Department for their swift response, their presence throughout the day, and their longstanding partnership with the schools. Thanks to the FBI and Connecticut Intelligence Center for their investigative resources. And thanks to Dr. Luizzi for his steady hand and stewardship in complicated times.”
In a Sunday email to students, Egan called on those behind the posts to take the TikTok account down and also called for students with information about those individuals to come forward. He also emailed the wider NCHS community, including parents, with an update on Sunday night.
DiFederico urged residents to “be mindful to monitor what personal information they share about themselves and others on an online social media platform; many accounts are created anonymously with the only intent being malicious or controversial in nature.”
The chief continued in the press release: “We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and residents. These types of incidents will not be tolerated. Anyone with information about the origin of these posts is strongly encouraged to contact the New Canaan Police Department immediately. All tips will be kept confidential.”
Police and NCHS officials are working together “and will provide updates as new information becomes available,” he said.
Original Article
After discovering a TikTok account’s “mean-spirited and hateful posts,” district officials this weekend called on students to help investigators identify those behind it.
An initial account that had put up “insulting” and “demeaning” posts was shut down but a new one “potentially from the same individual” surfaced with messages saying “NC kids u might wanna stay home from school tmrw” and “cant get rid of me” with three water gun emojis, according to an email that New Canaan High School Principal Bill Egan sent to the school community late Sunday.
“While this post is believed to be non-credible, we are taking every precaution to ensure our students feel safe,” Egan said in the email. “As a result, you will notice an extra police presence on campus tomorrow [Monday].”
The school is “working closely with law enforcement” and “actively investigating the origin of the post and we will be prosecuting the individual(s) involved,” he said.
It wasn’t immediately clear what was contained in the first set of offensive posts that he referred to or how it targeted NCHS students.
Egan in a separate email to the student body that he shared with parents called on those responsible to “do the right thing” and take down the account “immediately.”
“Realize the impact your actions have on your peers and the serious nature of involving law enforcement,” he said in the email.
Egan continued: “To the rest of our student body: If you have any information regarding who is behind this account, please come forward. You can speak directly to me or any member of the administration. Please know that all reports will be kept strictly confidential.”
NCHS takes “immense pride in our community and our commitment to looking out for one another,” Egan said, adding: “This type of behavior does not reflect who we are, and it has no place here.”