Opinion: TikTok Trend Goes Too Far
There are many TikTok trends out there that really engage a lot of people. Trends such as the “Videos Living in your Head Rent-Free,” “Tell Me Without Telling Me” trends, and many more. But one specific trend that has blown up and that has influenced a lot of teens is the Devious Licks challenge.
The Devious Licks challenge is when you record yourself stealing something from school or vandalizing the school bathrooms. This trend began on September 1 with the very first post showing a box of disposable masks that were stolen from the school. Teens often do it to gain attention and gain fame from TikTok. It has been happening here at BBCHS since the beginning of the school year. And it is becoming a major issue.
Bathrooms all over the school are being closed off constantly due to a shortage of toilet paper, soap, paper towels, even plumbing issues. As a senior, not only has this been extremely annoying, it also goes to show how immature most students are. Also, it’s not fair to other students that actually have to use the bathroom. Students often have to walk across to the other side of the school in order to gain bathroom access. We shouldn’t have to walk a long way to get to an available bathroom, especially if it’s an emergency.
I also feel for the administration when it comes to this trend. I feel bad that they have to deal with this. I feel bad that they have to find out who is doing it and come up with a reasonable consequence for the student(s).
Another group of people that I feel bad for is the custodians. The fact that they have to clean up these messes is ridiculous. They shouldn’t have to continuously replace soap dispensers, toilet paper, paper towel dispensers, and clean toilets nonstop. They have other things to worry about. In this age of COVID, the bathroom situation should not be in issue now.
Schools all over the United States have been going through the same struggle that we have been going through here at BBCHS. According to a news story by The Anchorage Daily News, a representative from the Canyons School District in Salt Lake City stated, “In two school years unlike any other, this is absolutely the last thing we need to be dealing with.” This is one hundred percent accurate. I agree with this statement. COVID was and is still a pressing issue and is causing enough trauma; the Devious Licks is the last thing that schools should have to deal with.
One way we can put a stop to the Devious Licks challenge in our school is to urge parents to discipline their kids at home. Discipline starts at home with parents. So if students are getting away with stuff at home, then they’re going to get away with stuff outside of school. I understand that some students don’t have parents or they do have parents but they aren’t playing an active role in the students’ lives. But students should be disciplined at home in order to diminish some of the vandalism.
Another way to put a stop to the Devious Licks challenge in schools is to educate students about how hard it is for janitors and administrators to deal with these situations. Students should know how much money it costs to keep refilling and restocking all of the stolen items. And they should know how much money the school has to invest in order to fix anything that has been severely vandalized. And they should know how much it costs to hire plumbers to fix the toilets. Hopefully that will shed some light and will change students’ behavior.