An online internet trend in which students steal utilities from the school and post it online has resulted in vandalism at Southwest.

An array of objects have been reported stolen or destroyed.

“Soap dispensers have been damaged, paper towels dispensers have been torn off the wall, there’s been stuff jammed in the toilets, a fire alarm panel was pulled off the wall and various messes of things all over,” principal John Matzen said. “If it’s a damage of property, then if the student is found to be responsible for it they have to pay for it, but they don’t pay for the work hours that the custodians have to put in cleaning that.”

The vandalisms come with a cost to replace equipment that takes away from other potential uses of the school budget. There have been similar situations at other schools across the country being posted on the social media app TikTok as well as other online platforms.

“I have seen TikToks about the trend and what people have taken from their school,” senior Alekz Solomon said. “I haven’t seen any real reason behind why this started or who started it. I think kids are just doing this to ‘get back at their school’ in a sense. I would tell them to think of the custodians and other workers that have to clean up the mess you made.”

Students are encouraged to speak out if they know anything about the recent vandalisms. They can tell a trusted adult, or if they wish to remain anonymous they can report an event through the Let’s Talk or Safe to Say portal which can be found on the LPS website or the LPS sign on portal.