Dangerous TikTok Challenge Has Entered Amarillo Schools

There is currently a TikTok trend going around that has found its way into Amarillo. Normally it's not a huge deal when these surface, but this particular one is very dangerous.

The worst part is my son's school felt it was dangerous enough to send a message to all the parents of the students at West Plains Junior High School, and I can see why.

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What Is The TikTok Trend

This is a new one for me, but it involves Chromebook devices and attempting to short-circuit them. The challenge is to insert something such as mechanical pencil lead into the USB port.

By doing this, it can spark or puncture the lithium battery which will ultimately short circuit the Chromebook. It also poses a huge fire risk. On top of that, the challenge is encouraging students to place metal objects into electrical outlets.

Read More: Texas School Grades From 2023 Finally Released 

What Are Schools Doing About It

The obvious thing is they are informing the parents that it's happening. It has apparently already happened at WPJH, as the message sent to parents stated it is:

"affecting schools across the country, including our own"

Parents are being urged to talk to their students about the severity of their actions and the consequences that could come with it. Those consequences, at least at WPJH, are more than just what could happen if they short-circuit the Chromebook.

School Punishment

Schools provide students with a Chromebook for the school year, and they are approximately $300 to replace them. If it's found that a student decided to participate in this TikTok trend, they will be responsible for its replacement.

On top of that, there will be a 30+ day loss of technology, making it hard to do homework assignments. They will face school disciplinary action, and the school could pursue criminal charges towards the student.