WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A social media challenge by students went awry, prompting a private school in Palm Beach County to cancel classes for the rest of Friday, deputies said.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, students who attend Oxbridge Academy were involved in a TikTok challenge.
The challenge involved which student would bring the most unique item to school on Friday.
In response to the challenge, one student posted a picture of a gun on TikTok.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office was then contacted to investigate the case.
Investigators found there was no criminal intent because the student who posted the picture didn't have access to a firearm.
The sheriff's office said the child, whose age has not been released, would be expelled from school but would not face charges.
Oxbridge Academy released the following statement to WPTV:
On the evening of Thursday, January 15, administrators at Oxbridge Academy received information that a student had shared an image of a firearm with another student and stated that they would bring it to school on Friday. Out of an abundance of caution, this information prompted the decision to close school to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and school community.
Following a thorough investigation, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) has determined that there was no credible threat to safety on the Oxbridge campus.
We appreciate the support of our community as we worked closely with law enforcement to confirm a safe campus, and we thank the PBSO for their prompt response and collaboration in addressing the potential concern. School will resume as usual on Tuesday.
The school, established in 2011, is located at 3151 North Military Trail, near West Palm Beach.
A new law took effect in Florida on Jan. 1 that prohibits children under the age of 14 from having their own accounts on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Children ages 14 and 15 must have parental permission to open an account.
