BELTON, Texas (KWTX) – A growing trend on Tik Tok called the “Chromebook challenge” has students intentionally causing Chromebook laptops to catch fire, which is raising alarms in schools across the country and here in Central Texas.
The Chromebook challenge has students sticking a sharp metal object, like a paper clip or scissors, into the USB port of the laptop, which could create smoke, or as seen in some cases, cause the laptop to go up in flames.
Reports show a student from Plainville middle school in Plainville, Connecticut is facing charges, in addition to a student from Belleville High School in New York.
School districts like La Vega, Bosqueville, and Belton ISD are warning parents about the trend, encouraging them to have a conversation with their children.
Belton ISD chief technology officer, Shad McGaha said thankfully, there haven’t been any incidents involving the trend at school, but said a warning was still necessary.
“Because of student safety, that’s the biggest concern for us. But also, our district policy states that if a child intentionally damages a Chromebook, they are responsible for the replacement of that device,” said McGaha.
McGaha said each student is issued a Chromebook, the district having 16,000 in total, with repairs costing close to $300.
He said not only is this trend a safety risk, but it also risks damaging vital resources that are fundamental to learning.
“They’re an essential for growth and digital literacy skills and we feel like it’s very important parents understand that if we damage those devices, it impacts learning,” said McGaha.
Copyright 2025 KWTX. All rights reserved.