PCPS Parents & Community Members,
Pulaski County Public Schools would like to request assistance from the family and friends of our students to help guide them away from participating in the tik tok challenges that have been occurring since the start of the school year. The challenge in September was to vandalize school bathrooms which resulted in hundreds of dollars worth of damage to the restrooms at our secondary schools. The challenge for October is titled "devious licks" and it encourages students to smack teachers or staff members at their schools. Some of the upcoming challenges include "jab a breast", "make a mess in the courtyard or cafeteria", "grab some eggs", "mess up school signs", and "flip off the front office". Most of the behavior encouraged in these types of challenges will result in legal charges as well as the school assigned disciplinary consequence. We ask that anyone with a relationship of influence on any of our students to please speak with them about the inappropriateness of participating in these types of activities, discuss the probable legal and disciplinary outcomes, and encourage them to make good decisions if faced with pressure to participate.
The 2021-2022 school year is proving to be the most difficult one in the careers of many educators. The challenges of teaching during the ongoing pandemic, staffing shortages, and increasing disciplinary issues within our schools and on buses are having a greater negative impact on education than anyone anticipated. Add to this the burden of dealing with students participating in a social media campaign to defy school rules, disrespect or physically injure school employees, and destroy school property and it is easy to see why the shortage of employees in education is rapidly growing. Pulaski County Public Schools would greatly appreciate support and assistance from our parents and community in helping communicate to our students the impact and harm that behaviors, such as participating in these challenges, might have on other people. Thank you to all who offer assistance with this issue.
-Dr. Kevin W. Siers, Superintendent of Schools