School officials all over the nation have conveyed a state of alarm and agitation. Signs, soap dispensers, clocks, fire alarms, and things alike have been disappearing at the hands of students. Kids are going out of their way to compete to see who can steal the most impressive item. Elkhorn North has been targeted by this competition, but the question remains as to how and why this trend came into existence.
A bathroom is a bathroom. There really isn’t anything interesting about it and it serves one purpose. Yet, one of the most nationally recognized social media trends stemmed right from the cold tile walls of a high school bathroom.
Tik Tok is a social media platform that allows people to post 15-60 second videos of almost anything they want to. Whether it be a cute kitten or dancing to the newest Olivia Rodrigo album, Tik Tok is a place where people from all backgrounds can connect and express themselves.
However, as peaceful as Tik Tok sounds, there are always videos that slip through the community guidelines that promote bad behavior or dangerous activities. The newest trend on Tik Tok gained national attention. Students were taking items, such as sanitizer dispensers or even whole sinks from school bathrooms and posting them on the platform calling these steals “devious licks.”
After a few days of this trend circulating, the bathroom was no longer the center of attention. Classrooms, hallways, and balconies were no longer safe.
Many students thought the idea was funny and exceptionally entertaining, but they seemed to ignore the fact that this was blatantly stealing and posting it on social media, which can get them into a lot of trouble.
Administration has no choice but to act on this issue and is doing everything they can to keep the stealing under control. Dr. Christensen, an assistant principal at Elkhorn North High School, has had to enforce disciplinary action on students who have participated in the trend.
“School is somewhat of a protected area but it doesn’t exempt you from the law,” Christensen said. “Just because you are stealing in school does not mean that you won’t be held accountable.”
From a student’s perspective, the trend is funny and seemingly harmless. However, the influence that this trend has on students only encourages the school administration to ensure that rules are being followed through any means necessary. Junior Jaslyn Manion explains the iron fist of administration that can come down after participating in this trend.
“The devious lick trend is fun until you do get caught,” Manion said. “If you’re caught stealing, you can face a number of days of suspension or even a misdemeanor charge, that is only if you return the stolen item.”
This issue is being taken seriously by all school officials. The school resource officer, Deputy Shane Miller warns students who are thinking about participating or further contributing to this dangerous trend.
“Although something may seem funny and innocent, in the end you might not get what you actually desired,” Miller said. “So just don’t steal.”
The items that are being stolen are school property, so if a student stole an item and refused to return it, then the school has every right to press charges.
“If the item somehow can’t be returned, you can be charged for theft,” Manion said. “Having that on your record can impact your future and make it difficult to smoothly move along in life. Stealing is really not worth it in the end.”
All in all, the “devious lick” trend is significantly more harmful than it is entertaining. A theft charge is not worth some Tik Tok clout, and most students should be aware of that. The consequences heavily outweigh the risks.
