Global Digital Citizenship - The Devious Licks Trend

    Description of the Trend

    "Devious Licks" is a trend that originated on TikTok in 2021, which involved students stealing things from schools and then going to TikTok to post and brag about their latest steal/"lick." The bigger or more ridiculous the item, the more views and credit the students got for their "devious lick." This TikTok trend resulted in schools all across America sending home notices to parents of damaged and stolen property, such as soap dispensers, paper towel holders, microscopes, fire extinguishers, and electronic whiteboards (Al-Heeti, 2021). These notices describing these damages also listed how students caught in the act of damaging or stealing school property could face the consequences of suspension, restitution, expulsion, or referral to law enforcement (Al-Heeti, 2021). 

How They Reacted

    Some administrators responded to the devious licks trend by closing the bathrooms during passing periods between classes, and/or only allowing one student in each bathroom at a time during class time, this meant having a sign-in/sign-out system for the restrooms; which also required an increase in bathroom sweeps to check for damages or missing property, as well as having a staff member to stand guard at the bathrooms to ensure that the students are using the sign-in/sign-out system. 

    Some teachers responded by telling their students how stupid the trend was and how the trend was making the school a harder place for the student population. Basically highlighting how the students were only hurting themselves and their ability to function and learn, sometimes even safely, in the environment around them. Those teachers also highlighted how the students participating were videotaping themselves committing a crime and posting it online, again, a not-so-wise act.

    Some parents responded as you would want them to when they were made aware of this trend, and they started monitoring their kid's posts on TikTok, and they also talked to their children about this trend and not to get caught up in it just for the temporary popularity. Other parents were working parents, who worked day and night to keep the roof over themselves and their child's heads, provide food for the household, and they had to sleep and take care of potentially other children, elderly parents, or even themselves. Those parents who could not perform the desired action relied on the school to help them out by directing their children in the right direction.

How Should They React

    This trend was a beast of its own; especially in my small community. Our high schoolers were easily influenced by this trend and we lost a lot of property and had a lot of damaged property. 

I think the administrators had a great immediate response in having a sign-in/sign-out system and only allowing one individual in the bathroom at a time. If students abuse a privilege, they can't have that privilege and it becomes a one-person-at-a-time restroom. The cons of this are that: 

1. It takes away from instructional time as you have students waiting for the bathroom and missing class to wait for the bathroom;
2. You also have to put staff members at each of the available bathrooms to ensure that the students aren't abusing the sign-in/sign-out system and that they're truly only going in one person at a time.

I think the schools could also have had an educational assembly about this and the legal repercussions that come with this behavior. As the students need to know that there's a very big difference between a "harmless joke" and Vandalism. There are legal repercussions, what are they for vandalism and theft? What can be charged as vandalism and theft? Can the devious licks challenged be considered vandalism and theft?

I believe the teachers could have done better. I believe a good thing they did was acknowledge how the student's behavior was actually negatively affecting the environment for the students more than the school. How were students supposed to wash and dry their hands? Students lost valuable, expensive instructional materials that were gained through grants and they lost those, so now their education was negatively affected. And even safety equipment, like fire extinguishers, was stolen, which just put everyone's lives in danger. So how are we supposed to put out a fire and protect the students that we're supposed to? I think the teachers need to refrain from calling students and their behaviors "stupid" as it's obviously just inappropriate overall. Teachers need to also have appropriate, kind, and respectful conversations with the students about not getting caught up in these trends for temporary popularity, as their actions will have consequences, and those consequences may involve law enforcement and other legal repercussions.

I like to think that parents did the best they could at the time this trend was occurring; however, I think parents need to make time to talk to their children about these trends regardless of how busy they are, I understand how busy life gets trying to just get by economically, but these trends can result in serious repercussions. If their kid(s) still get caught in this trend, then the parents need to hold themselves and/or their kid(s) responsible for any restitution fees, or legal action that ensues because of their child's actions.