Aviral social mediatrend featuring an eerie version of the Catin the Hat has reached Georgia, prompting one school district to alert parents about posts circulating online.
Coffee County Schools said officials are aware of the trend and posted a warning for parents on Monday, Aug. 31.
According to the school district, the trend involves a "creepy" Cat in the Hat character appearing in images and posts that claim the character is coming to specific schools in states across the country.
The posts encourage social media users to create similar images using photos of their own schools. Coffee County Schools said law enforcement has determined the viral posts are a hoax.
School officials are encouraging parents to be aware of the trend in case their
children encounter the posts online or ask questions about them.
Here's what else to know.
What is the 'Cat in the Hat' trend?
The trend involves images and videos depicting the Cat in the Hat character in unusual or unsettling settings. Posts can make the character appear to be outside homes, schools or other familiar locations.
Some versions of the trend have used images of the character from the 2003 live-action film "The Cat in the Hat," starring Mike Myers.
The images can be edited or generated to make it appear as though the character was actually spotted at a particular location.
The trend has circulated on social media in communities outside Georgia as well.
Why are school officials warning parents?
While Coffee County Schools said the posts circulating in connection with the trend are determined to be a hoax, school officials said parents should still be aware of the content.
Posts tied to the trend can name specific schools and use images of those campuses, which can make the content appear more credible or concerning to students and parents who encounter it.
Coffee County Schools' announcement did not identify a specific threat to one of its schools. Instead, the district said it wanted parents to know about the trend in case their children see the posts or ask about them.
The Georgia warning comes as school officials in other states have also addressed Cat in the Hat-related posts circulating online.
Parents who encounter concerning content involving a specific school or person should take the situation seriously and contact appropriate school or law enforcement officials rather than spreading the post further.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia, covering food and entertainment. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Viral 'Cat in the Hat' trend reaches Georgia schools
