TikTok ‘Devious Licks Challenge' Pushes Schools To Brink

ACROSS AMERICA — The last 18 months have been nothing short of grueling for U.S. educators. Now, as teachers trudge through yet another year of challenges caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, an unusual TikTok trend is threatening to push them to the edge.

The “Devious Licks Challenge” is the latest viral trend to emerge from the social media platform where millions flock to watch videos posted by their friends, celebrities and other influencers.

Unlike other challenges, however, this one isn’t likely to result in bodily harm — not like a recent one encouraging people to walk on stacks of milk crates. This challenge instead encourages raucous acts of vandalism at schools.

Meanwhile, students and TikTok users have responded in kind, shattering mirrors, stealing soap dispensers, fire alarms and football field turf, and intentionally clogging toilets, all while filming the antics to post on TikTok.

“In two school years unlike any other, this is absolutely the last thing we need to be dealing with,” Jeffrey Haney, a spokesman for the Canyons School District in a Salt Lake City suburb, told The Washington Post.

What does this challenge look like? Here’s what we know so far:

What is the ‘Devious Licks Challenge'?

The “devious licks” trend got its start earlier this month when a TikTok user posted a video of them stealing disposable masks, according to Know Your Meme. The video’s caption read, with "a month into school absolutely devious lick. Should've brought a mask from home."

A “lick,” according to UrbanDictionary.com, is defined as “a successful type of theft which results in an acceptable, impressive and rewarding payday.”

The trend took off from there. As students returned to school, they posted videos of themselves stealing items from their classrooms, taking everything from towel dispensers to lab equipment and school bus parts. In some cases, students went so far as to vandalize bathrooms.

Usually, the video shows the TikTok user unzip their backpack to reveal their stolen goods, according to Mashable. The more difficult to obtain, the more devious the lick.

Before TikTok caught on to the trend, the hashtag #deviouslick had gotten more than 175 million views.

Where is it happening?

The "Devious Licks Challenge" has caught on in schools across the nation.

At North Stafford High School in Stafford County, Virginia, bathrooms have sustained most of the damage. Two sophomores at a Pennsylvania high school are under investigation after a soap dispenser and a mirror were among things that disappeared from their school’s bathroom. In Elmhurst, Illinois, York High School's principal says the school has sustained vandalism to its restrooms.

After Massachusetts teacher Liz McDonald was robbed last week, she said the thieves took more than what she paid for out of pocket for her classroom. They changed how she viewed her students.

"I was robbed today and I need to say that what was taken from me was not the physical items I purchased with my own money for my classroom, it was my joy," said McDonald, a Spanish teacher at Medford High School. "Instead of channeling my creative energy into designing activities that will engage my students, I felt mistrust."

Is TikTok cracking down on the challenge?

A spokesperson told multiple outlets that TikTok had removed “devious licks” content from the platform and was redirecting hashtags and search results to its community guidelines in hopes of discouraging the behavior. The spokesperson also said the platform doesn’t allow content that “promotes or enables criminal activities.”

TikTok users, however, have turned to alternative hashtags and keywords such as #dispicablelicks and #deviousliks.

At least one legislator thinks TikTok isn’t doing enough.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said in a news release that he wants TikTok to do more to deter the "bathroom challenge.” He also said he expects TikTok to participate in an upcoming hearing on the impact of social media on children and teens, according to USA Today.

“You have a responsibility to delete videos, ban users, and restrict hashtags that glorify property damage and threats to school safety to prevent this destructive behavior from spreading,” Blumenthal said in a letter to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. “While TikTok has taken steps to remove these videos, these actions were too little, too late and do not make up for the damage to schools across the country.”

What are schools doing about it?

School administrators are responding by locking bathrooms and even posting staff outside the doors when the restrooms are accessible, according to multiple reports.

In northeast Kansas, Lawrence High School had to close several bathrooms after students pried soap dispensers off the walls, The Associated Press reported. Then, students tried to steal the “closed” signs. Staff is now guarding the closed bathrooms, too.

Meanwhile, districts in Miami, Denver, Scottsdale, Arizona, and elsewhere are sending messages and letters home to parents, pleading with them to talk to their kids and warning them that students may face fines, replacement costs, in-school suspension or even criminal prosecution for participating in the trend.

Haney with the Canyons School District in Utah also told The Post the uptick in vandalism is placing strain on school staff.

“Our custodians mostly end up responsible for cleaning up,” he said. “In this day and age, we’ve asked our custodians to be on the front lines, asking them to make sure our schools are as clean as possible. And every time they have to clean up this mess, it takes time away from making our schools a safe and welcoming environment.”

Are kids actually facing criminal charges?

Students across the country are encountering very real consequences for posting "Devious Licks" videos.

In Alabama, a high schooler was recently charged after he was accused of stealing a fire extinguisher in connection with the trend. A 15-year-old in Florida also was arrested after his high school reported damaged and missing soap dispensers linked to the challenge.

In Salt Lake City, Haney told the Post the behavior goes beyond kids being kids. In fact, students could face felony charges if the damage exceeds $1,000.

“Let’s not forget many of our seniors are over 18, they could face charges as an adult,” he told the Post.

Meanwhile, in Wichita, Kansas, the district found punishments such as suspensions aren’t effective in stopping such behavior. Community service is the more likely response, Terri Moses, district director of safety services, told The AP.

The district also warns students that what they post now could hurt their chances of getting jobs in their early 20s, Moses said.

“What they’re putting out on social media is going to be with them for a long time,” Moses told The AP. “We’re trying very hard to relay that.”