As acts of vandalism rise on campuses, schools increasingly respond with discipline and education. At Wakeland High School, staff and administrators disagree about what defines vandalism and how it should be handled.
While some see it as a harmless expression or even art, some students take it too far. Seleste Sully, Assistant Principal, said “ We had a situation where a kid lit a hand sanitizer dispenser on fire.” Sully recounted an alarming encounter, however, most real-world incidents can blur the lines between pranks and serious property damage.
How does Wakeland define vandalism?
When asked this question, Dr. Greg Harrell, Assistant Principal, provided a clear definition for Wakeland High School.
“Vandalism is destroying or degrading property that does not belong to you,” Harrell said. He emphasized that even minor actions—such as writing on desks or pressing objects into freshly poured concrete—qualify as vandalism.
“Something as small as a student writing on a desk with a pen or pencil is vandalism,” Harrell warned that the consequences of vandalism can escalate quickly. Depending on the severity of the offense, students may face out-of-school suspension (OSS), placement in the Student Opportunity Center, or legal action through the School Resource Officer.
Vandalism became a growing concern across schools when TikTok introduced the “Devious Licks” trend, which encouraged students to steal or destroy school property to gain online popularity.
“There was this time there was this Tik Tok trend where kids would take the mirror off of the wall in the school bathroom,” said Sully.
Schools across the country, including Wakeland, saw an uptick in incidents as students participated for views and likes.
While students may not always consider minor defacements as serious offenses, administrators caution that these actions can have lasting consequences.
As the line between art and vandalism blurs in some students’ minds, one message from Wakeland’s administrators remains clear: damaging school property is unacceptable, and those who engage in it will face the consequences.