Twin Cities Schools Report Bathrooms Being Plundered For ‘Devious Licks’ TikTok Challenge – WCCO
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A nationwide TikTok pattern involving college students stealing gadgets from their faculties and posting swaggering movies on-line afterward has prompted not less than two Twin Cities faculties to crack down this week, boosting safety and surveillance.
In an announcement to oldsters Thursday, Shakopee West Center College officers mentioned that the social media-spurred thefts, often known as “devious licks,” have elevated considerably in current days, leaving bogs notably broken.
“We’ve got tried a number of measures to stop the vandalism and theft, however have been unable to get it to cease,” Principal Lori Hyperlink wrote. “In reality, it’s escalating.”
In response, the college says it’s briefly locking pupil bogs throughout classtime, though workers bogs will stay open to be used. The one instances pupil bogs might be open is briefly earlier than and after faculty, throughout passing time, and lunch.
Throughout lunch, nevertheless, staffers might be posted exterior the bogs, ensuring that nobody walks off with a trophy mirror or urinal.
Throughout the metro at Stillwater Space Excessive College, directors say they’re boosting workers supervision and including hallway cameras after cleaning soap dispensers had been plundered from the lavatory partitions.
“Any college students who’re caught might be topic to self-discipline as outlined in our district handbook,” Principal Robert Bach mentioned in a Wednesday assertion. “Vandalism and theft in school can lead to suspension, expulsion, cost for injury and even prison expenses.
He urged that oldsters discuss to their youngsters in regards to the social media problem, which started going viral on TikTok final month, inspiring college students throughout the nation to strive steal their method to on-line fame.
On Wednesday, TikTok introduced that it has banned “Devious Licks” movies from the platform, saying they violate the app’s neighborhood pointers.
Movies posted in current weeks from throughout the nation have proven college students stealing faculty furnishings — from clocks to computer systems — and vandalizing rooms by smearing partitions with cleaning soap. One TikToker, who apparently stole a brush, captioned their video: “First week however bought this absolute devious lick.”
Again to highschool isn’t solely thrilling for college students, however dad and mom as effectively.
“We bought to see the lecture rooms. we bought to listen to about new curriculum,” mentioned Suzanne Olson, who just lately attended the open home at Maple Grove Excessive College the place her son is a pupil. Whereas there, she mentioned the principal additionally shared with dad and mom a trending downside.
“He mentioned, ‘And if it’s essential to use the restrooms don’t be involved should you see what seems to be like blood splatter on the partitions. That’s a TikTok prank and it’s actually Kool-Help or one thing like that so don’t fear about it, we simply haven’t gotten all of it cleaned off but,’” she recalled. “That is bordering on prison conduct.”
When WCCO posted about “devious licks” on Fb, dad and mom listed off a number of extra districts having the identical issues statewide.
Suspension, expulsion, even prison expenses embody the doable self-discipline for Stillwater college students. Olson hopes a stern dialog at dwelling may even make a distinction.
“That’s the place dad and mom get in hassle just isn’t acknowledging that hey, my child may very well be able to this,” she mentioned.
