Marblehead High School Principal Michele Carlson is encouraging parents to talk to their teens about a TikTok trend that led to the evacuation of the high school Wednesday.
The Chromebook Paperclip Challenge on TikTok encourages people to shove a paperclip, tack or aluminum foil into the USB port of a Chromebook.
“This action can cause the device’s lithium battery to short-circuit, leading to overheating, smoke or even fire,” Carlson said.
She added, “Unfortunately, today we experienced an incident at MHS linked to this trend, which led to the evacuation of the school due to smoke.”
The evacuation happened during an Advanced Placement exam at MHS. No one was injured, and there was no serious damage except to the Chromebook.
“We are asking for your help in speaking with your student about the dangers of participating in social media challenges and the serious risks associated with tampering with electronic devices,” Carlson wrote to families Wednesday night.
It’s not known if the student responsible for Wednesday’s incident has been identified.
