Tik-tok creator “jugg4elias” posted a video on September 1, 2021, claiming they stole a box of disposable masks from school. The trend gained traction because the online community found the trend humorous.

As a result, kids across the nation are now stealing from their schools, especially bathrooms, following the popular Tik-tok trend called, “devious licks.” Many principals and administrators are discouraging this trend because it has a negative impact on the schools. The “most devious licks” is a subgenre of the trend that has caused schools to close down due to vandalization. Even our own school had to close restrooms due to losing locks and paper dispensers.

Henry Huynh (‘22) stated, “I think it is very disrespectful and honestly do not see the point of taking things. Why destroy something that not only you use but peers use every day?”

Last month in Walton County district, located in Florida, fourteen students were caught and suspended for vandalizing property and stealing from the school, according to Journalist Alexia Tsiropoulus.

“They deserved the suspension because they had vandalized the school property,” stated Triet Pham (‘24). “However, I like this trend because it’s funny when I see people hit devious licks, it makes me laugh because it’s funny.”

Currently, students are getting arrested over the trend. In Bartow, Florida, a 15 year old at Bartow High School was arrested for criminal mischief and theft for stealing two $45 soap dispensers, according to the My Panhandle Daily News site. It seems the trend had died down due to multiple arrests and suspension records from other students. Most students shouldn’t see this as a joke because they are damaging public property that creates consequences for other students.

Taha Shah (‘22) asserts, “I do not feel like they should be arrested unless it’s a repeated offense. This trend is not a funny joke and students should at least have consequences for their actions but not in the form of an arrest, maybe a suspension at most.”

The trend that is wreaking havoc around schools has attracted a senator and TikTok themselves. TikTok took action by making the trend unviewable when students search up “devious licks.”

Senator Richard Bluemethal stated to TikTok, “You have a responsibility to delete videos, ban users, and restrict hashtags that glorify property damage.”