Dear Cass Lake-Bena Schools Families,
We want to make you aware of a social media trend involving “Cat in the Hat” content that has recently affected schools and students in several communities across the country.
The trend has involved disturbing or threatening images, videos, and messages shared through platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok. Much of this content has been AI-generated or digitally altered, and in some cases, posts have referenced specific schools, communities, or individual students. Law enforcement and school officials in several states have investigated reports connected to the trend.
At this time, we have received no reports of any of our students being exposed to or targeted by this trend. We are sharing this information proactively so families can talk with their children about what to do if they encounter this or other troubling content online.
The safety and wellbeing of our students is our number one priority. Please remind your child that if they see or receive a threatening, disturbing, or concerning post or message, they should:
Not respond, engage with, or repost the content.
Save evidence of the post or message, such as a screenshot, when it is safe to do so.
Tell a trusted adult immediately, including a parent, teacher, counselor, or school administrator.
Report any threat or immediate safety concern to law enforcement.
We also encourage families to talk with their children about responsible social media use and the importance of speaking up when something online makes them feel unsafe or concerned. Even content intended as a joke can cause fear, disrupt schools, and require significant school and law enforcement resources to investigate.
We will continue to monitor the situation and will communicate with families if there is any information directly affecting our schools or students. Thank you for your attention to this important update.
Sincerely,
Sue R. Chase, Superintendent