LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Lexington middle school was evacuated on Thursday after a student attempted the "Social Media Laptop Fire Challenge," a trend that encourages students to short out their school-issued device and potentially catch fire.
In a letter to parents, Southern Middle School Principal Kevin Payne said that the building was evacuated out of "an abundance of caution" and was later cleared by the Lexington Fire Department.
Payne said that the national trend "disrupted the classroom learning environments for some of our (eighth) grade students and staff" and as a result, have been "learning in alternative locations within the building."
Parents are encouraged to speak with their children about the "serious offense," and reinforce that "this behavior is criminal and not acceptable at school."
Students can report information anonymously through the school's STOP Tipline on their website, and parents can reach out to Payne directly with questions or concerns.
