HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—Connecticut school superintendents and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal are calling on the popular social media platform TikTok to ban videos that show kids vandalizing school property and to ban the users that post them.
The latest "Bathroom Challenge" on TikTok has students vandalizing school bathrooms across the country, including Connecticut.
According to Executive Director Fran Rabinowitz of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, the challenge has students vandalizing school property in Fairfield, Greenwich, Farmington and other school districts.
"Frankly, there are thousands of dollars worth of damage in some of these bathrooms and in thefts as well," Rabinowitz said. "The TikTok videos were encouraging students. 'Okay, this was taken. Can you get something of greater value to be taken?' It's just reprehensible."
School districts have seen various forms of damages to school property because of the challenge, Rabinowitz said, including broken mirrors, clogged toilets, toilet paper holders or soap dispensers taken apart, and even a SmartBoard that was unscrewed and pulled off the wall.
Blumenthal is demanding that TikTok take action that will combat these viral vandalism videos, such as banning this type of content and the users that upload these videos.
Also, Blumenthal plans to have TikTok officials appear in a congressional hearing with the Consumer Protection subcommittee to address the issue and to create an action plan that will make the platform safer.
In Connecticut, some students have already been identified and are facing consequences, Rabinowitz said. Parents will be responsible for the damages, she added.
