CA Schools Urge Students Not To Partake In Dangerous TikTok Challenge

CALIFORNIA — Schools across the Golden State are urging students to avoid participating in a viral TikTok challenge that involves damaging school-issued Chromebooks.

The challenge encourages students to jam lead or metal into the computers.

While TikTok has flagged the challenge by blocking the option to search "Chromebook Challenge", it doesn't appear to have removed the videos associated with it.

Videos showing smoke billowing from Chromebooks set to music — along with clips of teens inserting pencil lead into USB and charging ports — have fueled a trend that has led to some laptops catching fire.

"Participating in this challenge is extremely hazardous. It can cause Chromebooks to overheat, catch fire, or, in some cases, explode, posing serious risks of injury and property damage," The Oxnard School District warned in a social media post.

The district also warned parents that damaging a Chromebook can result in suspension and that families will be held financially responsible for "intentional" damage.

"There’s a real risk of fire and the possibility of law enforcement becoming involved," the district said.

At least one student in Long Beach has been arrested in connection with the challenge. On Thursday, a 13-year-old student of Perry Lindsey Academy was arrested and accused of arson, the Long Beach Police Department told the Los Angeles Times. The student inserted an object into the battery charging port of a school-issued Chromebook, the newspaper reported.

Across the state, a classroom in Roseville was evacuated after a computer started smoking in the room.

"I was two rooms away from the room with the challenge. I heard screaming," Tristan Peeples, 12, of Wilson C. Riles Middle School, told KCRA.

He later learned that one of his schoolmates completed the Chromebook Challenge.

"This is dangerous," said Scott Loehr, superintendent of the Center Joint Unified School District. "It could be more threatening than people think," said Scott Loehr. "You see this harmless challenge, you think, 'On TikTok?' It's not harmless."

No injuries have been reported as a result of the challenges.

Some students are even urging their peers not to engage in the viral challenge.

"You're dummies and doing stuff that is not safe," Peeples said.

His mother also added that the challenge wastes resources that area already scarce.

"Our kids are lucky. We're lucky that we can buy them laptops at home," Fenny Peeples told KCRA. "But what about those students who can't? That is not fair to them."