High schoolers are going viral for getting tattoos in honor of their favorite teachers, leading to a swell of support and emotional responses — and some criticism

• At least two teen TikTokers have gone viral after revealing tattoos in honor of their favorite teachers.
• Viewers were touched, extolling how impactful teachers can be on students' lives.

In recent weeks, two students have gone massively viral on TikTok, garnering a collective 56 million views, with videos revealing tattoos they say they've gotten in honor of their favorite teachers.

While it's mostly inspired a groundswell of support for the oft-unappreciated profession, it's also led to some criticism by commenters who questioned whether an inappropriate boundary was being crossed.

In June, a TikToker named @OliviaCarrea posted a video with 39.2 million views, in which the high school student revealed to "the teacher who got me through high school the tattoo I got for him," according to her caption.

In what appears to be a classroom, @OliviaCarrea holds her forearm up as the man she identified as her teacher clasps his mouth in shock and then closes his eyes before hugging her.

In a follow-up video, @OliviaCarrea disclosed that the tattoo features the number 29 in roman numerals — her teacher's classroom number — with the words "your presence matters" written below in his handwriting. She said she'd culled the phrase and font from a letter he'd written her for graduation.

"I love it, it's so meaningful," the TikToker said of her tattoo. "He's like family, so it was just a really nice moment."

Commenters were touched by the video, and extolled the special role teachers play in our lives. "He looked like he was trying to hard to stay 'professional' & not get in her personal space & just broke down at the end," one person wrote. Another said: "And in this moment he knew all those hard days as a teacher will be forever worth it!!"

However, some commenters said the gesture would cross a boundary for them. "If I did this my teachers would think I'm weird," one wrote. "If I did this my family would have him investigated," another added.

But @OliviaCarrea, who did not respond to Insider's request for comment, seemed unbothered by the criticism, replying "Thank you" to one commenter who urged her to ignore the hate. "Don't let the comments implying anything inappropriate take away from this," the commenter wrote. "Teachers shape minds and change lives."

Earlier this month, another TikToker went viral for a similar video that was set to the same song as @OliviaCarrea's (Kodaline's "Brother.")

In the caption, the TikToker @Zlyahhhhhrowe (or Zlyah) also captured the raw moment they revealed their tattoo. "During my senior year I struggled alot mentally," their caption read. "I didn't think I was going make it through."

But her favorite teacher "saved" her, she added.

"She always allowed me to come sit in her class if i needed to and would always message me back immediately if I was struggling," Zlyah continued. "On the last day I asked her to write something on a sticky note without saying what for. My birthday the day before I graduated I got a tattoo and showed it to her on graduation."

When Zlyah's teacher first sees the tattoo at what appears to be a graduation event, she incredulously asks whether it's been scrawled in pen. But as the realization sinks in, she says, "I'm gonna cry," before bringing Zlyah in for a hug.

The sticky note read, '"You're the best! Love you!" per a photo shared by Zlyah, who did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Commenters on this TikTok seemed more unanimously touched by the homage.

"I love this. She looked like she need that as much as you did!" a top commenter wrote.

"You made her feel seen as a teacher while she made you feel seen as a person!!" said another. "You both encouraged each other without knowing!! Beautiful."