Whether it be called “devious lick”, “diabolical lick”, “dastardly lick”, or even “nefarious lick”, these names are no joke. It all started on September 1, 2021, when TikTok user jugg4elias posted a video showing a box of disposable masks they claimed to have stolen from school, along with the caption “A month into school… devious lick”.

Since the incident, many similar videos with the term “devious lick” soon flooded TikTok, with students stealing various items from restrooms. This included things like soap and paper towel dispensers, toilet paper roll shields, urinals, sinks, mirrors,  floor, and ceiling tiles.

However, it didn’t stop there. Eventually, students allegedly began stealing items outside of the restrooms, including hand sanitizer, telephones, smart boards, and microscopes. More serious vandalism could involve  anywhere from broken mirrors to light fixtures, as reported by the North East Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas.

In Polk County, Florida, three students were arrested from two high schools, as well as one 15-year-old who was arrested for damaging and stealing soap dispensers at Bartow High School. In Stafford County, Virginia, a student from Stafford Senior High School was charged for vandalizing a park bathroom near the school. A 15-year-old was arrested for stealing a school toilet paper dispenser in Mohave County, Arizona. In Boone County, Kentucky, eight students were charged, with four receiving theft and four receiving vandalism charges.

Many schools started taking action to prevent more vandalism from occurring, and TikTok removed the original video on September 13, along with other videos featuring the trend. Osceola County School District has stated, “There are some recent TikTok challenges that have caused damage to school property and have disrupted valuable classroom time. Please remember that at school our students are expected to respect their fellow peers, teachers, staff, and school property. Students who violate the code of conduct will be subject to disciplinary action.”

Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace also says, “The latest TikTok challenge involves students sharing videos of damage done to school property. While this has been reported on as a national trend, I am sorry to say that it has reached our Osceola community. We’ve also become aware of upcoming TikTok stunts being circulated for the rest of the school year, which include additional school vandalisms, thefts, even assaults on school staff and fellow students… This is reminder that any student in the Osceola School District who violates our district code of student conduct will face discipline at their school, and possibly even charges from law enforcement.”

What may seem as a harmless prank to some, has serious consequences that affects everyone, not just the perpetrator. Some schools have even locked down bathrooms for a large portions of the days that may negatively affect other students with social anxiety.

The simple solution: just don’t do it.