HALEDON, NJ (CBSNewYork) – A new, destructive TikTok craze leads teenagers to steal and damage property in schools.

From stealing school supplies to devastating bathrooms, students across the country are jumping on a TikTok viral trend.

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Parents and teachers can also quickly get a crash course.

“This phenomenon was completely unknown to me. Lo and behold, the very next day we experienced some form of slight vandalism, ”said Chris Wacha, Headmaster of Haledon Public School.

Wacha said the day after his son warned him about a challenge called “Devious Licks” last week, someone caused $ 400 water damage in the boys’ bathroom.

“It’s not good. They have to close that. They need parents of the children who come in and explain. This is serious business,” said parent Florencio Hernandez.

“There is a reaction for every action. So if you do something that is not cool, something not cool is going to happen to you, ”added Machanga Blackmon, mother.

In Connecticut, some school administrators are taking drastic action, joining Senator Richard Blumenthal in the state capital on Monday to call for a ban on TikTok users who have participated in the trend.

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“Theft and vandalism are literally glorified. The viral videos show the students who steal as heroes, ”said Blumenthal.

The social media site says it has already taken steps to stop the trend by removing content.

If you search for the hashtag “Devious Licks”, you will see a message saying “No results found”.

In Haledon, those responsible were disciplined. The superintendent said the key to preventing future vandalism lies in the children.

“I want them to go through the entire decision-making process, analyze and think independently,” said Wacha.

The process begins with parents talking to their children.

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Blumenthal said there have been over 94,000 of these viral videos nationwide in the past few months.

The post TikTok Beneath Fireplace Over ‘Devious Licks’ Viral Problem Inspiring College students To Vandalize Faculty Bogs – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.