JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — * First Coast News has blurred the students' faces to protect their privacy.
The suspension for a group of Jacksonville boys who were being punished over a viral TikTok recorded in the bathroom of a local private school has now been lifted, according to family members.
The video led to the students involved being suspended for five days from Old Plank Christian Academy, according to parents.
A parent sent First Coast News a copy of the video. It appears to show a group of boys play fighting in the bathroom before one student breaks out in song, singing “We Are Young” by fun. Parents said the video had gotten millions of views.
“It’s just silly stuff I think honestly when you first look at it people are thinking what’s going on… they tried to stage like it was actually in the bathroom so there was like a kid at the urinal and some kids were making comments about that but he actually had on his gym issued shorts from the school so it wasn’t like he was in his underwear or anything," Edgar O'Neal, a cousin of a student suspended, said.
Parents said administrators at the school couldn’t cite a specific rule the kids were breaking. Initially, the boys were given a five-day suspension, and they would have received a grade of zero for any assignments they miss, including exams.
“It could have possibly caused some of them to not graduate their senior year. And even though the kids probably shouldn’t have made the video in school, they were just frustrated that it was that harsh a suspension, you know," O'Neal said.
Family updated us Monday, saying the boys are being allowed to return to school after being out for one day, and the school is planning to hand down different disciplinary measures.
The whole situation highlights the need for families and school to talk with students about creating TikTok videos in appropriate settings, O'Neal said.
“Parents should be talking with kids about what type video they should make, and when it would be appropriate to make the. I would like to see schools not just have blanketed issued suspensions and thing for like this," he said.
First Coast News reached out to the school for comment, but we have not yet heard back.
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