Middle School Students Impersonate Teachers on TikTok in "First Mass Attack of Its Kind"

A Pennsylvania middle school is at the center of controversy due to a not-so-funny prank on their teachers many are calling the "first mass attack of its kind."

School may be on summer break, but multiple students at Great Valley Middle School are getting some extra time in the principal's office after their TikTok joke sparked national attention.

Now, many of the teachers who were the subjects of the prank are looking for justice that sadly might not come in the way they hoped. So, what happened at Great Valley Middle School? Here's what to know.

On July 8, 2024, The Great Valley School District in Malvern, Pa., confirmed that several Great Valley Middle School students created fake TikTok accounts to impersonate multiple staff members. According to Fox News, many of the faux TikTok accounts posted derogatory views, including "racist, homophobic, and sexually inappropriate content."

The officials behind the Great Valley Middle School controversy say it's the "first mass attack of its kind on teachers in the United States" and has substantially affected the teachers whose likenesses were used for the fake profiles.

"It saddens us to know that the students to whom these teachers dedicate their time and talents every day would misuse technology in a way that causes teachers un-deserved stress and emotional hardship," the district said in a statement.

The students behind the inappropriate TikTok accounts had reportedly run them since February 2024. While it's unclear if any of the teachers lost their jobs over the prank, the Great Valley District says taking legal action presents a challenge, since the fake accounts were made off of school grounds. However, the district is reportedly working on ways to "regulate" cell phone use at school.