The 2021-22 school year at McCaskey High School has gotten off to a chaotic start, to say the least.

We’ve had bathrooms closed off with spiderwebs of masking tape, broken pipes, sewage problems, and hallways smelling like poop. We’ve had haphazard announcements from the administration explaining new policies. Why? Because of “devious licks.”

The “devious licks” trend began on September 1st, 2021, when a student posted a TikTok of himself stealing a box of disposable masks from school. The trend spread like wildfire, as students began posting videos of themselves stealing soap and paper towel dispensers, and even urinals and sinks, from school bathrooms. While the “devious licks” started out mostly innocuous, they quickly drew severe ramifications – students have been arrested and faced with criminal charges in states such as Alabama, Florida, and Kentucky. 

And of course, the media has had a field day over the controversy, extensively analyzing the trend. A recent Washington Post article attributed “devious licks” to the “lag in development of the prefrontal cortex during the teenage years” and suggested the best solution is for parents to “teach what it means to be a good digital citizen” and “actually read [app] community guidelines together.” Even U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal weighed in, demanding that TikTok’s CEO testify in front of Congress about how the app influences “young and impressionable users.” 

Perhaps the greatest impact “devious licks” have had on our school is in terms of increasing discipline. For instance, on Wednesday, September 22 at J.P., Ms. Jazmin Torres announced that if students are caught skipping class, or even out in the halls without a pass, they’ll be automatically suspended. It caused hysteria, and the next day, students were trading rumors with each other that one hundred students had been suspended in one day. 

Students have had a lot to say about this heightened scrutiny. “I am not saying [administrators] don’t have a right to do what they are doing, but maybe they should consider the root of the problem and what causes these students to act in such a destructive manner,” said Tiyya Geiger, a sophomore. The sentiment is widespread across the school. To many students, announcements like the one mentioned above feel inflammatory and induce fear.

But while the administration’s approach seems severe, it’s softer in practice. “We cannot punish or deprive our way out of anything,” said Mr. Justin Reese, McCaskey principal. Contrary to the rumor mill, only forty-three students were suspended between August 23rd and September 20th. While the suspensions so far correlate with the demographic makeup of the school – there haven’t been disproportionate suspensions of minority students – the administration recognizes that some antiquated disciplinary policies reinforce racial bias. (Whether or not they’ll address and eliminate it is another question, but openness to change, many agree, is a critical first step). And Mr. Reese acknowledges that suspension isn’t a viable educational solution. Although illegal activity always results in suspension, those who are suspended receive help from student support teams and the ability to do their schoolwork at home. And no one has been suspended for being out in the hallway without a pass. “Announcements like [Ms. Torres’s] don’t work – conversations are better,” Mr. Reese said, also noting that students with an early release pass can leave school early. 

Most would agree that both student vandalism and extreme misbehavior and over-policing from the administration are both significant problems. “I wish more students would have conversations, and more adults would be receptive,” said Mr. Reese. “We can’t assume that all students are doing something wrong, while students can’t assume that all administrators are out to get them.”