A Social Media Trend Is Causing Headaches In Schools Such As Wauwatosa

WAUWATOSA, WI — The Wauwatosa School District is bringing attention to a new social media trend involving videotaping vandalism, stunts or pranks on school property.

Superintendent Demond Means sent a letter to the school community on Sept. 21

The trend involves students recording themselves on Tik Tok and destroying school property, using the hastag "devious licks" with the content. Another involves singing inappropriate songs. A third encourages students to slap one another on the head or neck.

Such acts won't be tolerated in Wauwatosa schools, Means said. He implored parents to assist with curbing the behavior.

"Social media trends are often replicated across the country, and unfortunately, we are currently experiencing a negative social media trend in our school buildings," he said in the letter.

Patch reached out Tuesday to the district for comment about specific incidents.

Patch reported last week that some middle school and high school students at Waukesha schools were caught vandalizing bathroom equipment as part of the TikTok challenge.

Several middle and high school students were caught shooting videos of themselves ripping out bathroom towel dispensers, toilets and stall doors, Waukesha police Capt. Dan Baumann told TMJ4.

"Devious licks" was a trending hashtag on TikTok under which users filmed themselves pulling stolen school supplies out of their backpacks, according to Know Your Meme. Some videos showed students pulling soap dispensers, a microscope and even a fire alarm out of backpacks.

TikTok has since removed "devious licks" content from its platform.

"We expect our community to create responsibly — online and IRL," the platform said in a statement. "We're removing content and redirecting hashtags & search results to our Community Guidelines to discourage such behavior. Please be kind to your schools & teachers."

Ethan Duran, Patch Staff, contributed to this report.