Dear Weatherford ISD families,
As some of you may be aware, there has been national and international media coverage lately about a creepy internet challenge known as “The Momo Challenge.” Allegedly, Momo targets young children by encouraging them to text a number on various online applications (e.g. YouTube, Minecraft, WhatsApp, etc.), which then sends them instructions to complete a series of increasingly bizarre and dangerous tasks from watching a horror movie to engaging in self-harm to taking their own lives.
If you don't know what this is, watch this Today Show video. This is a serious social/emotional threat to children everywhere and kids in most schools are already talking about it.
While there are reports that the threat of the Momo Challenge may be overstated, we felt it important to make you aware of it. Additionally, given the growing national media coverage of the Momo Challenge, experts on mental health caution that such hysterical news coverage could potentially prove harmful, possibly even inspiring imitators. It can also cause some students to be fearful or anxious.
To that end, we encourage parents who are concerned about their kids being exposed to disturbing images like the Momo Challenge, to have intentional conversations with them about what they encounter online. The following are some resources we have found to be helpful in helping our young learners navigate the internet, as well as tools for families looking to parent in a digital age.
Should you have questions or concerns, please feel contact your child’s campus principal, assistant principal, or counselor.