A new trend has surfaced on TikTok called the “devious lick challenge.” While this challenge is quite widespread it was hard to believe that it would spread to our small, Eastern Tennessee town. Brandee Hoglund–principal of Lenoir City High School–has seen the effects of this challenge first-hand.

“In the upstairs girl’s bathroom we have had both of the soap dispensers taken off the wall,” Hoglund said.

The “devious lick challenge” consists of students taking items from schools and bringing them home, or just destroying them entirely.

“I know that there was the devious lick challenge on TikTok; I think that might have started it [the surge of vandalism], but from what I understand there has been vandalism in our school bathrooms for years,” Hoglund said.

Precautions have been taken to combat the recent surge of vandalism within Lenoir City High School, which includes signing in and out of the bathroom, as well as teachers being in the bathroom during class change. This has not only helped the vandalism issue, but it has also made vaping cases in our school subside.

“I do feel like putting the teachers in the bathrooms has helped the vaping problem 100%…we haven’t had a single vaping case since we have put teachers in the bathrooms,” Hoglund said.

These precautions have not only punished the students who have vandalized the bathrooms, it has also affected innocent students.

“I hate how this has taken away from good students, but I’m torn on what to do,” Hoglund said.

The vandalism has subsided but it still continues when teachers aren’t present.

“Right now what I’m seeing is that the vandalism is taking place during class…it’s very difficult to pinpoint who did what,” Hoglund said.

After fall break, things are scheduled to go back to normal bathroom-wise, but there will be a discussion about what has happened and is currently happening.

“After fall break we are going to meet with each grade level in the auditorium and explain what we’re seeing and tell everyone how we need their help,” Hoglund said.

In order for the bathrooms to go back to normal everyone has to work together to make sure that the vandals get caught. It is already difficult enough to use the bathroom without having limited time to do so.