Wake schools: Students must stop making Chromebooks 'smoke'

Some Wake County students are participating in a social media trend to intentionally damage their school-issued Chromebooks.

The school system sent a message to families Thursday making them aware of this national trend.

The goal is to make the laptops "smoke" by short-circuiting them via the USB port.

The district also says it’s a safety hazard and that people who short-circuit the devices could electrocute themselves.

A spokeswoman told WRAL News that they don’t track how many times this has happened or whether students have been injured.

They’re encouraging parents to monitor their children’s devices.

"Your oversight plays a vital role in keeping students safe and reinforcing responsible digital behavior," the message states.