New TikTok Challenge Dares Kids To Steal Things From School -- And They Are
The “devious licks” TikTok challenge is resulting in damaged and stolen property at schools across the nation
The latest TikTok challenge sweeping through the tween and teen crowd isn’t a fun dance or silly audio. It’s called “devious licks” and the results aren’t anything you want on your FYP. The idea is to steal or damage property at school and later show it off on TikTok. Thankfully, TikTok is already wise to the awful trend and is now banning videos related to it, which should hopefully prevent more kids from participating — but in many schools across the nation, so much damage has already been done.
First of all, according to Urban Dictionary, a “lick” means “successful type of theft which results in an acceptable, impressive and rewarding payday for the protagonist.” NJ.com reports that TikTok user jugg4elias started the trend by posting video showing a box of disposable masks they supposedly stole from their school.
https://www.tiktok.com/@theblindstudent/video/7008703459025341702?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6893197517351388678&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0
“A month into school… absolutely devious lick,” read the TikTok’s caption. “Should’ve brought a mask from home. Now look at you walkin round campus maskless you dirty dog.” The account has since disappeared along with that video, but it received 345,800 views before coming down.
That was enough for the trend to take off with similar videos popping up all over the app this month. Now, school officials are speaking out and pretty much begging students to stop this ridiculousness. Sun Lake High School in Land O’Lakes, Florida posted a plea to students and parents asking them to stop.
“Soap dispensers, exit signs, safety signage for fire rescue, and classroom telephones are just a few of the items that were removed and stolen this week,” they wrote. “We love our Seahawks and we do not want to see any of them arrested so PLEASE talk to your kids. If they are participating in this activity you will be hearing from an administrator and our School Resource Officer. Let’s work together to put a stop to this now.”
https://www.tiktok.com/@chlozouee/video/7008697435354615045?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6893197517351388678&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0
USA Today reports that in a since-deleted TikTok, a student bragged about stealing COVID tests. “I won this trend,” they said, unzipping a backpack to reveal a bunch of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests they claim to have stolen. The news stories about this are literally endless — kids all over America are doing this and it simply needs to stop.
My daughter’s high school is one of many where students are participating in the challenge. She texted me from school yesterday to tell me that the the bathrooms are a total mess to the point of being unusable — stall doors without locks, toilet paper and paper towels stolen or stuffed into toilets, soap dispensers missing, etc. She texted me again after arriving at school this morning to tell me that rumor has it, her principal had the tires stolen off their car. To say this challenge has gone way too far is an understatement.
For their part, TikTok is removing any content related to the challenge and asking users to “be kind to your schools & teachers.”
Kids, we made our way through the Tide Pod challenge. We thought you grew and learned but apparently, this needs to be said — stop ruining and stealing items from your schools. Aside from being horrid and disrespectful behavior, it could get you in actual trouble with law enforcement. We have enough going on this year without also worrying that you guys are destroying your schools.
