You might’ve heard kids chanting “six-seven” & seen them waving their hands around. That’s the 67 trend in action. But what began as a harmless little meme has turned into a classroom distraction that some schools have banned. Just how did two numbers turn into a viral bit that teachers are desperate to quiet down?
The sound behind the meme
The whole thing kicked off with a rap track called “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla, which dropped in February 2025. During the chorus, the line “six-seven” loops several times, and it’s this part that everyone latched onto. TikTok took the line and chopped it into edits. Before long, the snippet was everywhere.
One of the reasons it stuck around is because of how catchy it is, almost like a ringtone. Despite what some internet theorists have claimed, there’s no deep meaning behind it. It’s quite literally just two numbers. However, once people began remixing it and matching it to dance clips, the rest followed.
How it moved into sports edits & mainstream culture
Soon after, sports creators got their hands on it, and they started using the “six-seven” hook for their highlight reels. It was especially common among players who happened to be 6’7” tall.
Edits using the sound began picking up millions of views. NBA players and high-school athletes began doing a “six-seven” motion after a dunk or three-pointer. Then the meme spread much further than TikTok, with the chant appearing during live games and pep rallies. It also became part of school assemblies, which is when teachers began noticing it.
The gesture that kids copy in class
So what is the six-seven gesture? It’s rather simple. You have to put both hands out, palms up, and then sway your hands slightly. Yes, it looks harmless, but it’s not so easy to ignore when thirty kids are doing it every time a 6 or 7 shows up on the board.
Some students do it when the teacher’s back is turned, and that makes it spread even faster. One person does it. Then three more join in. Relatively quickly, the whole row starts giggling and doing the same. Unfortunately, it’s annoying enough to stop a lesson, yet funny enough (at least for students) that nobody wants to quit.
Global mentions as schools resume
However, the issue isn’t just a U.S.-based one. In late September, Australian and Indian news outlets began explaining the meme to parents who’d suddenly heard it from their kids. Students worldwide are apparently doing the same hand motion and chanting the same numbers. They’re interrupting the classroom in the same way.
Why classrooms are banning “67”
Finally, teachers have begun fighting back against the meme. Several of them have posted “No 67” signs, while others have begun deducting points when it happens during lessons.
According to reports, a few schools have official bans on saying it during class hours. The rule usually covers both the sound and the hand motion. However, these schools have stressed that the punishment isn’t the issue, but rather, trying to continue lessons without unnecessary disruptions from students.
How schools are writing it into class rules
In some schools, saying “67” or throwing the hand motion means that you’ll owe the teacher a 67-word essay. Do it again, and the essay doubles, while after the fifth time, the student has to submit a 670-word essay. In other schools, teachers dock 67 participation points if the chant interrupts work time.
Teachers are also refusing to count out loud during lessons, and they have decided to use hand signals instead. This is simply to stop students from calling out “six-seven.” During attendance, several teachers avoid numbered responses altogether, while math teachers have begun labeling practice groups by colors or animals instead of digits.
Some have even changed slides and worksheets so answers don’t land on 6 or 7. It’s not necessarily that they’re banning math or language, but rather that they’re trying to make day-to-day lessons run more efficiently. They’re hoping the meme will burn itself out.
Another number is trending now
Unfortunately for teachers, 67 isn’t the only meme number. 41 is a newer meme making the rounds. The sound traces back to rapper Blizzi Boi’s older track from 2021 that went viral this year on TikTok. Like 67, viral clips loop the number again and again. Creators use an age-filter effect that distorts faces while mouthing “forty-one.”
By early September, the hashtag had started stacking up views on both TikTok and Instagram. Some students are using 41 as a side joke, while others have paired it with 67 in captions. In a few cases, students are using it as a replacement for 67 in classrooms where the latter is banned. It’s the same idea, but simply a different number.