Dear parents,
We would like to address current popular trends among young people that have us concerned.
Tik Tok
You have certainly heard through the media about the current trend on TIK TOK, a social media platform, that has been creating much havoc in some schools. The trend is called “Devious Licks Challenge,” where students are encouraged to participate in vandalizing acts or stealing school property, assaulting people, causing damage, and posting videos on this social media platform for kicks. Although some might find this amusing, the reality is that the safety of our students is at stake, not to mention costs associated with repairs and our administration and staff’s valuable time.
We urge parents to discuss this activity with their children and to discourage them from taking part.
Squid Game (Netflix)
This highly popular rated 18 series is about indebted people playing childish games in the hope of winning millions of dollars, but those who fail are coldly shot (shootings, murders, graphic scenes, suicides, etc.). Its popularity now extends to playgrounds in some schools of the province, where kids have been seen imitating violent games. This violent storyline promotes a feeling of confusion among young audiences and accentuates the impact of the shocking images or, worst, normalizes or desensitizes acts of violence. We urge you to take the matter seriously. We encourage parents to consider the above information and to discuss it as they deem fit with their children.
It is possible to block 18-and-over series and movies on a Netflix profile.
Should you have questions or concerns, our Complementary Services team remains available to support our Riverside students and families. Please send an email to Mentalwellnesssupportmentalwellnesssupport@rsb.qc.ca.
Thank you.