Glades Families,
We want to make you aware of a recent social media trend that's been gaining attention and has the potential to cause serious harm to school issued devices and more importantly, to student safety.
This TikTok trend known as the "Chromebook Durability Test" or "Chromebook Challenge", encourages students to insert items like paper clips, pencil lead, or gum wrappers into Chromebook USB ports with the goal of seeing sparks in the port. This can lead to significant damage to the device and in some cases, lead to overheating or fire.
Although we have not seen this issue widely at our schools, districts across the country have reported serious incidents - including property damage and injury. In these cases, families have been held responsible for device replacement or repair.
These types of trends can easily spill over into the home environment as well. It's important for students to understand the risks involved in participating in online "challenges" and the importance of using technology safely and responsibly.
Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us keep students safe and our technology in working condition.