Woodridge police investigating 'offensive content' in student blackface video

Woodridge police are helping Woodridge Elementary District 68 investigate a video created by several minors in blackface, Chief Brian Cunningham said Friday.

The video, posted and since removed on TikTok, involved seventh-grade students in District 68, and police learned that “numerous” Woodridge students and parents viewed the “offensive content.”

Police became aware of the video on Wednesday and began their investigation.

Cunningham said the case illustrates the need for parents to carefully monitor their children's social media use, especially while kids are using online means more often to connect with classmates and friends during the stay-at-home order.

It only takes one online mistake to “reverberate and impact people negatively — potentially for a lifetime,” Cunningham said.

The best way for parents to monitor children's online activity is to take the child's phone and open each of the apps, talking through what each program or network does and viewing the content.

“You don't have to be an IT expert to have that conversation,” Cunningham said.

Parents should check the social media use of kids and teens frequently to ensure it is appropriate.

“If police are looking at your kid's phone, it's probably too late,” Cunningham said.

The video under investigation “hurt many of our neighbors,” Woodridge Mayor Gina Cunningham said.

“And it happened when we all need to help and support each other,” she said in a news release. “I'm hopeful that those involved will learn from this matter and understand Woodridge's unwavering commitment to being an inclusive community.”