A middle school in North Carolina has reportedly decided to remove bathroom mirrors after noticing an increase in students missing valuable class time to record TikTok videos in the bathroom. .
Les Atkins, a spokesperson for the Alamance-Burlington School System, told WFMY, “Students were spending a lot of time going to the bathroom and doing TikTok,” and said the students were at the school at Southern Alamance in Graham, North Carolina. The middle school explained that mirrors in bathrooms have been removed to eliminate distractions.
On average, students go to the bathroom three to four times a day, but the frequency has steadily increased to seven, eight and nine times a day, the school system said. Atkins explained that since removing the mirrors, the school has seen “less trips to the bathroom, less time spent there, students are being held accountable, and being accountable makes a big difference.”
Atkins explained that the school system is trying to educate students in “digital citizenship.”
Florida kids are 'actually talking to each other' after state bans cell phone use in school: Teacher
A middle school in North Carolina removed bathroom mirrors and reported an increase in students going there to record TikToks. (iStock/Sylvie Bouchard)
“We're trying to educate students. Just like everyone has a cell phone now, we have to learn how to use it and when to let it go. I have to learn,” he told WFMY. The school is also implementing SmartPass, a digital hall pass system that officials say will allow students to enter and exit classes. School leaders say this is intended to allow staff to better track where students are at any given time, for safety and accountability reasons.
According to WTVD, South Alamance Middle School said in a letter to parents that it is “working to limit distractions so that students can focus on learning.” “While this is an adjustment, we believe these changes will minimize disruption and foster a better learning environment.”
Southern Alamance Middle School in Graham, North Carolina, removed bathroom mirrors to prevent students from interrupting class to make TikTok videos. (Google Maps)
According to WXII, school officials said the digital hall pass system is part of existing software that schools and districts already have at their disposal, so there will be no additional cost.
School district's cell phone ban sparks debate over technology addiction and helicopter parents
Technology experts have long warned about how TikTok is brainwashing young Americans, especially Gen Z. “It’s being actively manipulated.” Chinese propaganda has made us addicted to mindless scrolling on platforms, internalizing information we believe to be true.
Montana became the first US state to completely ban TikTok, but a judge ruled temporarily blocked The measure was delayed from taking effect at the beginning of the year, citing constitutionality concerns.
School administrators in North Carolina say students are using bathroom breaks to record TikTok videos, taking away valuable class time. (Nicholas Cocobris/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Florida recently enacted a law restricting cell phone use during school hours, sparking a debate about technology addiction and helicopter parents.
An Orlando-area middle school teacher whose parody TikTok videos of parents angry that their children's phones were confiscated under a new law went viral told Fox News in November that children “actually He said that it was refreshing to see them “talking to each other.”
