Students in Chattahoochee Valley performing viral TikTok craze

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - A viral social media challenge has some students in our area destroying school property, and they’re recording it. Several parents told News Leader 9 the ‘Devious Lick Challenge’ is a TikTok challenge encouraging kids to record themselves destroying school property and steal things like soap dispensers, fire alarms, toilet seat covers - you name it, they’re taking it or destroying it.

“I’ve read about it, and I think it’s a disgrace and it’s unruly,” said Shannon Collier. “I’d probably end up going to jail. Parenting nowadays isn’t the same as it used to be when I was growing up.”

One parent declined to go on camera but shared an email with News Leader 9. She said her kids go to a school on Fort Benning, and they received an email informing them of what was going on, saying in part quote, ”Their goal is to destroy soap dispensers, toilet tissue, paper towels, and finally flooding the school. If successful, they get 5 stars.”

The social media platform, TikTok, has since banned the behavior and in a tweet says in part quote, “We expect our community to create responsibly - online and IRL(in real life). We’re removing content and redirecting hashtags & search results to our Community Guidelines to discourage such behavior.”

“I don’t understand the mindset, it doesn’t make any sense to me,” said Jennifer Taylor, a Muscogee County School District parent. “I would not be standing here today if I had participated in something like that.”

News Leader 9 reached out to MCSD for a statement regarding the challenge. The school district representative provided the following quote:

“We have been made aware of a nationwide trend among students which stems from a new social media challenge called Deviant Licks. In these challenges, school property is damaged, items may be stolen, and then a video of their actions is posted online on platforms such as TikTok.

Muscogee County School District wants to remind students and parents that these actions are not acceptable and go against the Student Handbook & Code of Conduct. Students caught participating will be disciplined and possibly face legal consequences. We ask that you have a conversation with your child and reinforce the importance of not participating, organizing, sharing, or glamorizing this behavior.”

Copyright 2021 WTVM. All rights reserved.