Chromebooks being blown up during a random class sounds like some sort of fantastical fear made up by your parents to keep you from messing with your computer, but cases of people trying (and sometimes even successfully) blowing up their computer just using a couple pieces of lead has shockingly become an almost normal sight throughout the country. 

Fortunately, Wentzville School District tech advisor Grant Descher hasn’t seen that take place here at Liberty.

“I have not seen it here. We’ve been sharing pictures sharing pictures as technicians in the district. We’ve definitely seen some of the damage, and it’s definitely going on in schools around the country,” Descher said.  

The impact of this dangerous new trend is being seen all across the country.

“This potentially affects the battery, which can release some harmful fumes. There’s been multiple schools that have been evacuated because the fire alarms go off with how much smoke,” Descher said.

Desher explains why it is important to take care of your Chromebook. “As you take this Chromebook from middle school to graduation, it’s not a students device. It’s the school district’s device, and I wish that people took better care of things that aren’t their own,” he said. 

Jaxon Logan (10) has seen students attempting the dangerous trend and is baffled by what he has seen.

“It’s really stupid. I watched one of my friends stick lead an a random Chromebook that wasn’t even his and it started smoking,” Logan said. “I don’t think I need to explain why something exploding would be unsafe, it’s just stupid.” 

Chromebooks unfortunately have a notorious history of being misused and mistreated. In particular, there have been recent trends of people sticking lead in their computers to get them to blow up, making students and teachers alike worried about the safety concerns this dangerous new trend may have in classrooms across the country.