Schools across the country have been on high alert after yet another disturbing trend has popped up on social media, this time involving a demented version of Dr. Seuss' "Cat in the Hat" character.
The viral "Cat in the Hat" trend has officially reached local schools, according to a recent social post from the Santa Rosa County School District, which announced that students and faculty would see more law enforcement and security personnel around campuses this week.
"We understand that messages like these can be concerning to students, families, and staff. Please know that Santa Rosa County District Schools takes all potential threats seriously," the district wrote in the post.
"Local law enforcement agencies are aware of the situation and are actively monitoring it. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority."
The district instructed students who receive messages connected to the trend not to respond or engage. Instead, they should alert a parent or guardian, school administrator or law enforcement.
The trend involves AI-generated videos and images that show the "Cat in the Hat" character running through streets or appearing at local landmarks. They are meant to be harmless fun, but some people have used the format in ways that appear threatening.
Parents in Pensacola Facebook groups have shared a few of the images that they have seen. One said that Pensacola was the "next stop," and listed 11 high schools and middle schools in the area.
Another post contained a collection of images. One of them depicted the Dr. Seuss character along with a list of names. It's unclear if the names in the post corresponded to local students.
While there haven't been any credible threats tied to the posts, they have triggered alarm throughout local communities.
Police in Texas have warned that making or even sharing the posts could result in criminal charges, according to a Facebook post from the Laredo Police Department.
"Any social media post, message, image, or other communication that contains a threat or causes fear or alarm within our schools or community will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated," it wrote.
"Individuals who participate in this trend by posting threatening content may face criminal charges and arrest when supported by the facts and applicable law, regardless of whether the post was intended as a prank or joke."
Law enforcement agencies in other states have boosted their presence at schools, similar to Santa Rosa County.
One of the more alarming rumors that has spun out of the trend involved people or animals being killed by a person in Ireland, dressed as the "Cat in the Hat." Wexford Garda, the police station located in Wexford, Ireland, has also rebuked the claims.
"In an unusual turn of events, we are hearing a lot about an elusive Dr. Seuss character doing the rounds online, apparently causing havoc in neighbourhoods and towns across the country.
"Fortunately, we can rule out the issue, which is essentially an AI prompt that places the character into images/videos of familiar places.
"To be clear, the Cat in the Hat was not in your driveway while you were out and he is not currently hiding out in Curracloe," it wrote on social media.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Viral 'Cat in the Hat' trend prompts police presence at local schools