Latest news with #DanAdams
NDTV
09-05-2025
- NDTV
TikTok's 'Chromebook Challenge' Sparks School Laptop Fires In US, Prompting Safety Concerns
Social media challenges have long posed risks to young users, with some tragically resulting in participant deaths. Now, a new trend-predominantly popular on TikTok-is gaining traction, particularly in the US, and is proving to be dangerously hazardous. According to NBC News, a dangerous TikTok challenge is prompting students to tamper with their school-issued Chromebooks, causing the devices to smoke or even catch fire-forcing some schools to evacuate. Participants insert objects like pencils or paper clips into the USB ports, leading to short circuits and, in some cases, toxic smoke or small fires. Fire officials have also warned that lithium batteries in these devices could explode, posing a serious risk of injury. Prince George's County Public Schools has reported up to 10 such incidents. "In addition to posing serious safety hazards, these actions can lead to costly repairs and disciplinary consequences," PGCPS said in a statement. "We have seen a few incidents related to the Chromebook challenge in our district. We are actively monitoring this trend and have informed our community about the risks." Loudoun County Public Schools reported a significant increase in the number of student-issued devices needing repairs - a sign that some students could be accepting the challenge. "Kids can see this as just a joke or harmless prank, but this is something that could lead to a really dangerous situation and just want to keep our kids safe," Dan Adams of LCPS told NBC News. Because the computers belong to the school system, parents could have to pay for the devices repaired or replaced. TikTok said the videos are not unique to its platform. It said it has blocked certain search terms such as "Chromebook challenge."
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
School officials: students setting laptops on fire, connected to TikTok trend
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — A concerning social media trend is prompting officials in several local school districts to warn about fire hazards inside classrooms. Several videos circulating online show students across the U.S. tampering with school-issued laptops and causing chemical reactions, prompting smoke plumes and sparking small fires in some cases. Teen arrested after bringing loaded gun to Gaithersburg High School, police say In a letter to parents, Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) urged parents to warn their children against the potentially dangerous trend known as the 'Chromebook challenge,' after the district's IT department recently handled an uptick in similarly damaged laptops. 'If the kids are doing their homework and there's paper nearby things like that, you could end up with a house fire or a fire at a school,' said LCPS Spokesperson Dan Adams Thursday, adding, 'You could obviously end up with an injury. So, obviously that's what we're most concerned about.' LCPS shared photos of a now-fried USB port after a piece of mechanical pencil replacement lead was shoved inside the outlet port. School officials in Prince George's County, Md., and Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax County, Va., reportedly shared similar warnings about the trend. Michelle Light, a Fairfax County Public Schools mother, suggested students 'Get off social media, stop looking at these ridiculous challenges and just use your computer for school work and get off, or go outside and play.' LCPS officials are warning parents that they will be responsible for repair costs, which could range upwards of hundreds of dollars, according to online estimates from tech service websites. '…I think that the parents should pay because, you know, it's their kids at the end of the day,' said Matthew Rios, a senior at Marshall High School in Fairfax County. Irene Friendly, a counselor of 30 years with FCPS, told DC News Now that students should face individual consequences for causing fires to laptops. 'I think in terms of paying back through service, [ it depends] on the age of the student. So if they're old enough for like high school …and earn some money…they're paying back for what they destroyed. For the middle school student, it might be in terms of service to support others,' Friendly explained. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Asian boy, 5, pleads 'don't hurt me!' as middle school bully films himself hurling racial slurs in vile video clip
A middle school student is seen taunting a five-year-old Asian boy with ethnic slurs in a disturbing video. The footage from April 5 in Loudoun County, Virginia, shows the kindergartner being racially abused as he frantically tries to flee. As he retreats towards his home, he can be heard pleading: 'No! Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!' Disturbing: Video has emerged in Virginia showing a middle school student taunting a 5-year-old Asian boy with ethnic slurs and harassment - all while recording himself The distressing scene continues as the 5-year-old runs along the porch, desperately crying out to other children for assistance: 'Don't do it! Save me! Save me!' The recording also picks up the sound of laughter from bystanders, yet no one steps in to help the terrified child. The taunting takes a specifically offensive turn when the middle schooler asks: 'Are you having dumplings for dinner?' This harassment persisted for nearly two minutes, finally ending when the boy's mother opened the door, allowing her son to rush inside to safety. The clip was later shared among students at Eagle Ridge Middle School via a group chat. The victim's family was ultimately made aware of the incident by another parent, who was reportedly in tears when delivering the news. To protect the privacy of the young victim, News4 is not disclosing the family's identity. The little boy's mother expressed her profound distress upon viewing the video: 'Every time I saw that, my heart's broken every time. 'As a mother, to see my son insulted by other older kids, my son's only 5 years old. I just don't know why those kids are so cruel to say that to my son.' The boy's father recounted his son's innocent confusion regarding the racial slur, revealing that he asked if he was being called 'King Kong.' With a breaking voice, the father shared his internal struggle: 'Should I keep lying and say, 'Yes. They're calling you King Kong because you're strong,' or should I try to explain to him what is that word and why they're saying that to you? It's hard.' The parents conveyed their deep concern not only about the student who recorded the harassment but also about the other children who simply watched and laughed. 'Nobody came to step out and to say, "Stop," ' his mother lamented. 'Nobody think this is not right. They just laughing. Yeah, nobody stood up.' Having moved to the United States from China and chosen Loudoun County after careful consideration of its schools, the couple now feel their aspirations for a secure and welcoming community have been destroyed. 'We thought that this would be a great place, however though, it ended up like this,' the father said. The mother added: 'So, what hurts me most is then, where else should I be? That hurts me most, not just the words.' Due to the off-campus location of the harassment, disciplinary action against the responsible student by Eagle Ridge Middle School is unlikely. Nevertheless, school spokesman Dan Adams told News4: 'The school division does not condone the behavior and is quite disappointed. 'Even though this child is not an LCPS student, we have offered this student counseling and potentially restorative practices.' Adams clarified that these restorative practices would be directed towards the middle school student. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that an investigation is underway but refrained from providing comments due to the involvement of juveniles. The boy's parents are hopeful sharing their experience will serve as a cautionary tale that can spur change. 'Let other families know and never say the bad words to the kids, never say racist words to other kids,' his mother urged. 'It's not right.' His father further emphasized the broader implications: 'I think children means the future,' he stated. 'If children are sinking down, then the future of this country is sinking down.'
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
‘Don't hurt me!': Chinese-American boy, 5, pleads as middle-schoolers in US bully him, mom says ‘nobody stood up'
A heartbreaking video shows a five-year-old Chinese-American boy clutching his blanket and sobbing while being terrorised by a middle-schooler. As the young tormentor meted out ethnic slurs at the child, his friends laughed. 'No!' the child cried while running from the older boys outside his home in Loudoun County, Virginia, grabbing a blue blanket, NBC-TV News reported. 'Don't hurt me, don't hurt me! Don't do it. Save me!' the boy pleaded. The middle-schooler told the child, while cornering him on his front porch on April 5, 'Are you having dumplings for dinner?' The bully taunted the child with other cruel remarks, some of which the outlet censored. The victim's parents were devastated by the incident involving students from Eagle Ridge Middle School. However, it has prompted hardly any action from school officials. The school said while they are 'quite disappointed,' the attack happened off school grounds. 'Every time I saw that, my heart's broken — every time,' the boy's mother told NBC of the footage. 'As a mother, to see my son insulted by other, older kids my son's only 5 years old. I just don't know why those kids are so cruel to say that to my son.' 'Nobody came to step out and to say, 'Stop,' ' she said. 'Nobody thinks this is not right. They [were] just laughing. Yeah, nobody stood up.' The abusive youngster shared the clip online. Upon seeing it, an Eagle Ridge parent rushed to the victim's house in tears, and showed it to the parents. The victim's father said the child was afraid of the boys but did not understand many of the slurs they used to abuse him. At times, the boy was called 'King Kong.' 'Should I keep lying and say, 'Yes, they're calling you King Kong because you're strong,' ' the father said. 'Or should I try to explain to him what does that word [mean] and why they're saying that to you? It's hard.' The child's family migrated from China and bought a house in the US after working hard. They chose the Loudoun County area for its friendly neighbourhoods and upscale schools, the parents of the victim said. 'We thought that this would be a great place,' the father said. 'However, though, it ended up like this. So what hurts me most is, then, where else should I be? That hurts me most, not just the words.' The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office told NBC that the incident has been reported to the department. Dan Adams, a spokesman for the school district, said it has offered the victim counseling 'and potentially restorative practices' if his family wanted.
Sky News AU
28-04-2025
- Sky News AU
Sobbing five-year-old Asian boy tormented by hateful middle-schoolers in heartbreaking video: ‘Don't hurt me!'
A five-year-old Chinese-American boy clutched his blanket and sobbed as a middle-schooler terrorized him with a barrage of ethnic slurs while pals laughed — with the whole attack on heartbreaking video. 'No!' the youngster cried as he ran from the older boys outside his home in Loudoun County, Va., holding a blue blanket, NBC-TV News reported. 'Don't hurt me, don't hurt me! Don't do it. Save me!' the little boy pleaded. The middle-school punk sneered, 'Are you having dumplings for dinner?' as he cornered the boy on his front porch April 5. The tormentor uttered other cruel taunts, the most disturbing of which were censored by the outlet. The incident, involving students from Eagle Ridge Middle School, devastated the victim's parents but has prompted little action from school officials, who claimed they are 'quite disappointed' but noted the attack took place off school grounds. 'Every time I saw that, my heart's broken — every time,' the boy's mother, whose identity is being withheld, told NBC of the footage. 'As a mother, to see my son insulted by other, older kids... my son's only 5 years old. I just don't know why those kids are so cruel to say that to my son. 'Nobody came to step out and to say, 'Stop,' ' she said. 'Nobody thinks this is not right. They [were] just laughing. Yeah, nobody stood up.' The abusive delinquents posted the video online, and an Eagle Ridge parent saw it and dashed to the young victim's home in tears to show his parents the footage. The youngster's father said his son was terrified by the older boys but didn't understand a lot of the slurs being leveled at him. The child was called 'King Kong' at times. 'Should I keep lying and say, 'Yes, they're calling you King Kong because you're strong,' ' the distraught dad said. 'Or should I try to explain to him what does that word [mean] and why they're saying that to you? It's hard.' The family migrated from China and worked hard to buy a home in the US, choosing the Loudoun County neighborhood for its upscale schools and friendly neighborhoods, the victim's parents said. 'We thought that this would be a great place,' the father said. 'However, though, it ended up like this. So what hurts me most is, then, where else should I be? That hurts me most, not just the words.' The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office confirmed to NBC that the incident was reported to the department but declined to comment further because it involved minors. Dan Adams, a spokesman for the school district, said it has offered the 5-year-old boy counseling 'and potentially restorative practices' if the family wanted. Originally published as Sobbing five-year-old Asian boy tormented by hateful middle-schoolers in heartbreaking video: 'Don't hurt me!'
