LANSING, Mich. — TikTok challenges have become more than just dancing and pranking your parents. One new challenge is costing Holt Public Schools thousands of dollars.
"In September, the district spent between $5,000- and $10,000, replacing and maintaining hand sanitizer dispensers, soap dispensers, bathroom mirrors and more," Holt Superintendent David Hornak said.
All because a viral TikTok challenge called "Devious Licks" encouraged students to steal things from the bathrooms.
Hornak explained that the challenge goes through the end of the school year. There's a challenge for each month.
This month students are being encouraged to "smack a staff member." In January, it's "jab a breast."
Holt is not battling this trend alone. East Lansing Public Schools Superintendent Dori Leyko said a handful of students participated in the Devious Licks challenge. She sent an email to parents Wednesday morning asking for assistance and support.
"I believe in our students, and I believe they will rise above. And they will underpin our expectations around respect integrity and character and kind of restore the pride in our school system," Hornak said.
One student from the district said he was shocked that the challenge has been taken this far.
"Honestly I think it's kind of disrespectful because if you look at all the teachers that put their time and effort to come to school to teach us and inspire our generation....to do something like that is not right," said Ji'Ri Ash-Shakoor, a senior at Holt High School.
Hornak said if students are found participating in these challenges, there will be consequences.
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