Dangerous tripping jump prank ‘a horrific act’, education ministry warns
In videos gone viral on social media, persons are observed sweeping the feet of another individual when airborne during the process of jumping. The victim, who is completely unaware before participating in the prank, suffers a terribly crash to the ground, risking serious life-threatening injuries.
In one of the videos purportedly captured at Meadowbrook High School, the victim’s hand was fractured after falling awkwardly.
“The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information uses this medium to advise our stakeholders of the growing trend of a popular prank called the Jump Trip Challenge or the Tripping Jump Challenge, which appears to be spreading on social media. Several videos are circulating of the internet showing students jumping and violently falling to the ground after being tripped by others. School administrators are being cautioned against the popular prank within our schools and are advised to take every precaution to stymie this practice,” the ministry wrote in a bulletin disseminated to all stakeholders.
“The prank is a horrific act and demonstrates a lack of good judgment on the part of those involved and should not be tolerated. Students are partaking in the prank not realizing that a fall of such nature can cause serious physical, mental and emotional damage with great legal and financial implications.”
It added: “Kindly ensure that your parents are made aware of this unfortunate situation and enlist their support in reiterating among the students the importance of respect for each other, the need for empathy and for every child to feel and be safe as well as to use social media responsibly.
"The ministry stands ready to provide any assistance you may need to ensure that this practice ceases immediately.”
In the US, where the prank is said to have originated, many victims have reportedly suffered serious physical harm such as to the brain and spinal cord.
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