North Carolina Middle Schoolers Lose Mirror Privileges Due to TikTok Addiction
A middle school in North Carolina has taken the drastic step of revoking mirror privileges from its students after they were found spending excessive time in the school bathrooms filming TikTok videos. The Alamance-Burlington School System recently announced that Southern Alamance Middle School had removed the restroom mirrors in an effort to reduce distractions caused by the popular social media app.
Excessive Bathroom Visits for TikTok Filming
According to reports, some students were caught cutting class and visiting the bathroom up to nine times a day. Les Atkins, the public relations officer for the school system, revealed that students were using the bathroom as a filming location for their TikTok videos. The mirrors in the restrooms were heavily featured in these videos.
Unique Punishment Yields Results
The decision to remove the restroom mirrors may seem unusual, but it appears to have been effective. Atkins stated, “Not as many visits to the bathroom, not staying as long, and students are held accountable. When there’s accountability, you see a great difference.”
Digital Hall Pass System Implemented
In addition to removing the mirrors, the school district has implemented a digital hall pass system. This system allows students to check in and out of class, enabling the school to track how much time students are spending outside of the classroom. These measures are part of the district’s broader goal of teaching students about “digital citizenship.”
Concerns Over TikTok Addiction
This crackdown comes in the wake of warnings from tech experts about the addictive nature of TikTok. Several experts have expressed concerns that Gen Z would become increasingly dependent on the app. In fact, Montana became the first state to ban TikTok, citing concerns about “Chinese Communist Party surveillance.”
Overall, the Alamance-Burlington School System is taking proactive steps to address the issue of excessive TikTok use among its students. By removing restroom mirrors and implementing a digital hall pass system, the district aims to educate students about responsible digital usage and the importance of balancing screen time with other activities.
