Amid a national wave of school property destruction via viral online stunts, San Diego Unified School District's student trustees have taken a firm stand against the so-called "Chromebook Challenge." This damaging fad has already led at least 16 students to ruin their district-issued laptops, an expense the district can ill-afford.
Joseph Cruz and Quinton Baldis, Senior student trustees from Morse High School and Scripps Ranch High School, respectively, have voiced their opposition to the challenge and have called on their peers to abstain from participation. According to the San Diego Unified School District, Cruz condemned the trend as "wasteful, dangerous, and everyone loses." The cost to replace a single Chromebook is $445, pushing the expense to replace 16 laptops to a staggering $7,120.
These acts of vandalism have not gone without consequences. Per district policies, disciplinary actions have been applied to each student involved in destroying the Chromebooks. These devices, essential for learning and school work, have been compromised by students inserting metal objects such as paperclips and pens into their ports, causing sparks and, in some cases, fires.
Trustee Baldis highlighted the gravity of the situation, saying, as cited by the San Diego Unified School District, "Online challenges are usually meant to be fun or support a good cause, but the Chromebook Challenge is unsafe and could hurt people if they cause a fire like we have seen has happened elsewhere." As the risk of fire and destruction of school resources mounts, so does the urgency for this message to resonate among students. San Diego Unified plans to use its weekly newsletter and social media platforms to deter students from joining this hazardous trend, ensuring technology support remains accessible through the district's family resources.
