Devious Licks Challenge Continues To Pose Problems For Schools

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — Across McHenry County, a new social media challenge, "Devious Licks," has led to thousands of dollars in property damage and is stirring up unrest in schools.

The "Devious Licks Challenge" is the latest viral TikTok trend to emerge from the social media platform where millions flock to watch videos posted by their friends, celebrities and other influencers. As part of the challenge, students have been called on to post videos of themselves stealing, vandalizing or showing items they stole from bathrooms, mainly from their schools.

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Local school officials say it appears new challenges are planned throughout the school year. This month, the trend is to record students slapping their teacher and then running away.

Within District 300, the challenge has resulted in thousands of dollars in damage to bathrooms, officials said. In some cases, the school district has had to close bathrooms after they became "unsafe to use" due to damage. In addition, it forced staff to deal with the bathroom issues instead of focusing on their typical duties and teaching.

"All students who intentionally damage or steal district property will face disciplinary action per our district policies," said District 300 superintendent Susan Harkin in a letter to parents. "Consequences could include detention, suspension, arrests up to a felony charge, peer jury, and fines totaling the cost to repair any damages."

Other suburban schools have faced similar challenges.

Paul Waechtler, principal of New Trier High School's Northfield campus, and Denise Dubravec, principal of the Winnetka campus, notified parents in late September that repeated acts of vandalism had forced the to close some bathrooms to students.

"Over the past two weeks, we have had multiple incidents in which our school bathrooms have been subject to acts of destruction, from soap dispensers ripped off walls to fixtures stolen and garbage strewn throughout the stalls," they said Friday in a letter to families. "Students have informed us that this is part of a 'challenge' on the TikTok app to take and post videos of vandalism in school bathrooms or to show off items they have stolen from schools."

• TikTok 'Devious Licks Challenge' Closes Some New Trier Bathrooms

Within Prairie Grove Community School District 46, students have ripped soap dispensers off bathroom walls, destroyed air fresheners and drawn and written obscenities on stalls, said District 46 superintendent John Bute.

They then posted evidence of the vandalism on TikTok.

"We have since learned that there are other themed challenges planned on TikTok each month. Please know that PG46 will not tolerate these acts of vandalism and aggression," Bute said in an Oct. 1 letter to parents. "There will be consequences for engaging in this type of behavior and we will involve the police if appropriate."

Local school officials have since been taking to social media and alerting parents to the recent trend involving students assaulting teachers and recording videos of the violence.

"I would like to encourage parents to talk to their children about the 'devious licks' Tik Tok challenge and the importance of making good decisions," Harkin said in an Oct. 1 letter to parents. "While our schools will undoubtedly do their part to communicate the importance of making good decisions, support from our families is deeply impactful."

In a YouTube address to students, Marcus Bellin, superintendent for D158, called on students to buck the Devious Licks trend.

Instead of participating in that negative activity, Bellin is challenging students to follow challenges, such as: make it to class on time, attend a school event, send a positive text/email to someone regularly, achieve and maintain a 3.o GPA or higher, and thank a staff member.

Bellin also reminded students that everything posted online is "there forever."

"When you post those videos on social media, just know those videos are there forever and cannot be erased," Bellin said. "So employers and colleges and things you are doing post high school are looking at you they can come across that video and that can have a negative impact on you."