Photo of Murray High School (Photo: KSL TV)
MURRAY, Utah — Murray High School plans to start charging students $5 to watch an upcoming football game, the first time the school has done so, to help pay restitution for TikTok-inspired damages on campus.
Non-student spectators have always had to pay the fee to watch a home game, but on Oct. 7, Murray students will also face that $5 fee.
Administrators in the Murray School District cited damages on school property because of the viral TikTok challenge known as “Devious Licks” for the charge. Across the country, students recorded video of themselves stealing school property, typically in bathrooms.
Officials did not say what was damaged or how much at Murray High, but the school district did release this statement:
As with other schools across the country, Murray High School has experienced our share of
vandalism and theft due to the viral TikTok challenges being promoted.These devious actions have continued to escalate and are costing untold sums in material and
time-expensed repairs. As stewards of tax-payer funding, and at a time when resources are
limited and academic needs great, it is our duty to be responsive to this senseless waste of
money.Further, it’s important that we communicate tandem messages of zero tolerance for criminal
behavior and respect for property and each other.We plead with our valued partners in the media to help spread this message to parents and
students that vandalism, theft, and other mischief in public schools is unacceptable conduct that
must be addressed.
Doug Perry, Communications Director for the Murray School District, stated in an email the football game may not be the only activity affected. Students may be asked to pay to enter “dances and other extra-curricular activities,” he said.
Perry said when students stop causing damage for the TikTok challenge, the payment for school activities will cease.