Cheer Squad's TikTok Skit Leads to Probation

Sixteen middle school cheerleaders in rural East Tennessee found themselves in legal trouble after filming a 45-second TikTok reenactment of a school shooting while waiting for practice to start. The clip, posted online in September, featured the girls pretending to be shot and killed, with one issuing a mock command to "put your hands up"—all while classmates giggled and "played dead," per ProPublica. The next day, police arrived at school, questioned the students, and hit them with misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges.

Officials said the charges sent a message that such content isn't tolerated, but critics, including families and violence prevention experts, argue that harsh punishment fails to make schools any safer and inflicts unnecessary trauma. The incident is just one example of how schools nationwide are grappling with digital threats and the viral spread of disturbing content. Tennessee, in particular, has seen a spate of students arrested over jokes, memes, or misunderstood private posts—sometimes resulting in felony charges even when context shows no intent to threaten. In one case, a 16-year-old made an AI-generated joke video that was shared without his consent, leading to expulsion and felony charges for making a threat of mass violence.

Experts argue that zero-tolerance responses often miss the mark, especially as schools face a deluge of copycat threats and viral hoaxes. Some districts are turning to digital threat assessment, training staff to distinguish between real threats and poor judgment, and intervening with support rather than punishment. But in Greene County, the cheerleaders received three months' probation, which could be extended in case of bad behavior. They also had to pay over $100 each in court costs.