HS Seniors arrest for prank

[abdmom]

My word! Cups with water in them! What is the world coming to!

Those cups of water can be dangerous!! Someone could slip.

But a kid wishing a teacher dead is soooo harmless.

I really don't understand some posters.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Those cups of water can be dangerous!! Someone could slip.

I could care less about the prank. The fact is that this stupid move could have resulted in someone getting killed on accident.

Stupidity breeds stupidity.

 

[Shutterbug]

I could care less about the prank. The fact is that this stupid move could have resulted in someone getting killed on accident.

Stupidity breeds stupidity.

I agree the police were reckless to show up with such force.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

When we did our senior prank, we were actually let into the school by the custodian. It is possible that something similar happened here - that some teacher or staff member let them in with the understanding that the prank would be 'harmless'. Some people still have a sense a humour and are willing to be a good sport in the name of some (usually) harmless fun.

 

[nakita123]

Yes the police were doing there job and the kids broke in the school but these kids are brilliant top of the class. They made a mistake! One they will always remember. But this harmless prank shouldn't take away everything they worked for these four years. The school should see that and understand that before they make a decision whether they walk or not. They already lost their scholarships, why everything?

 

[scootch]

I don't think they are over reacting. These kids are in the real world now and they need to act like responsible adults.

 

[MiniGirl]

okay there are some things missing from the story.

Who reported the students and what was reported to the police that made them decide to show up in such ridiculous force? Seriously a helicopter? Why not send a few squad cars to investigate before going straight into full on riot mode?

Sounds to me like a school official got wind of it and contacted police or someone got overzealous in what was reported

Yeah they got caught and will have to own up to the actions and I agree with that. Its the whole "show of force" attitude that is over the top.

The police lost my support when they responded with a helicopter (What?). When we graduated we all brought our horses to school and built a huge teepee on the front lawn. This sounds even more tame. My word! Cups with water in them! What is the world coming to!

Didn't the article say that campus police heard voices inside the school and called the sheriff's dept? Did I misread that? It also says they responded with a helicopter for the protection of those who answered the call. The campus police didn't know it was a bunch of kids pulling a prank, and I'm willing to give the authorities, who respond to calls in the middle of the night quite regularly, to know when a helicopter is warranted and when one isn't.

Oh, and FTR, I hope it doesn't go any further than this. I hope this gave them a good scare and taught them to think things through a little bit more, but I would hate to see them miss graduation or anything like that.

 

[Planogirl]

How could someone get killed putting cups of water in a hall? I must be missing something. Unless the police possibly going overboard is what was meant.

Our two high schools in my old town used to pull plenty of pranks. The most popular was stealing each other's mascots. Which weren't alive by the way.

 

[horseshowmom]

I think "appropriate" senior pranks are a right of passage however, once you break into a building, key or not, that changes things.

Not so funny, my high school was demolished by some jerks that broke into the school one night. They smashed up computers (keeping in mind that computers were rare back then), destroyed classrooms, turned on fire hoses, etc. It took a YEAR to repair the school. 3 of the 4 kids' parent bailed them out of jail and pulled the "my son would never..." the 4th kid's parents left him in jail and let him face the consequences of being so stupid.

I agree, and I doubt that someone in authority just handed the key over to them.

We've had several of the break-ins that you describe. I used to be in a position where I purchased a lot of technology equipment for classrooms. I can't tell you how angry I was when I had to go in schools and see equipment vandalized that I spent a lot of time and money acquiring. We've had things spray painted, materials completely destroyed, and classrooms/school offices ruined.

I kind of miss the innocence of a good Senior prank. But if a law is broken (trespassing etc) then they should deal with the consequences.

My cousin wore a superman shirt under his gown at graduation and planned to tear open his gown after being handed his diploma (like Clark Kent). A teacher managed to wind of it and came down on him like an anvil. Threatened to have him arrested, lose his diploma etc. It was so over-the-top. He was just having a little fun and at NOBODY's expense.

Same graduation, the principal FREAKED when the Dominos delivery guy showed up with 10 pizzas and tried to deliver them to the graduating class as they sat in their caps and gowns. He was escorted away by police.

That school is a big wet blanket.

I have to respectfully disagree. Many people don't feel like graduation ceremonies are the place for this type of activity, and when these things happen, it affects the others who are graduating as well - others who may not want their graduation to become what they feel is a joke. JMHO though...

 

[merryweather20]

Didn't the article say that campus police heard voices inside the school and called the sheriff's dept? Did I misread that? It also says they responded with a helicopter for the protection of those who answered the call. The campus police didn't know it was a bunch of kids pulling a prank, and I'm willing to give the authorities, who respond to calls in the middle of the night quite regularly, to know when a helicopter is warranted and when one isn't.

Oh, and FTR, I hope it doesn't go any further than this. I hope this gave them a good scare and taught them to think things through a little bit more, but I would hate to see them miss graduation or anything like that.

Gee thanks, but I read the article.

What part of voices in the halls warrants a helicopter? Nothing other than the part where they overreacted. How exactly does a helicopter offer protection from unknown voices?

I would like to trust the authorities on when to use their equipment and when to not, but this police force has lost my trust in this department.

What is it exactly you think the kids want to think through? I haven't kept up with all my classmates, but I can tell you with a great deal of certainty, that we don't go around willfully setting up unwanted teepees to the detriment of the comunity.

 

[horseshowmom]

Gee thanks, but I read the article.

What part of voices in the halls warrants a helicopter? Nothing other than the part where they overreacted. How exactly does a helicopter offer protection from unknown voices?

I would like to trust the authorities on when to use their equipment and when to not, but this police force has lost my trust in this department.

What is it exactly you think the kids want to think through? I haven't kept up with all my classmates, but I can tell you with a great deal of certainty, that we don't go around willfully setting up unwanted teepees to the detriment of the comunity.

Keep in mind that the police had no idea what they were going into. Someone could have been planting bombs for all they knew. A helicopter can be used to track suspects that escape from officers in pursuit.

 

[MiniGirl]

Gee thanks, but I read the article.

What part of voices in the halls warrants a helicopter? Nothing other than the part where they overreacted. How exactly does a helicopter offer protection from unknown voices?

I would like to trust the authorities on when to use their equipment and when to not, but this police force has lost my trust in this department.

What is it exactly you think the kids want to think through? I haven't kept up with all my classmates, but I can tell you with a great deal of certainty, that we don't go around willfully setting up unwanted teepees to the detriment of the comunity.

The first part of my response was to the other poster who wondered who had reported the kids and what was reported. As to the rest, we simply disagree, and that is fine. The police get a call in the middle of the night from someone I'm sure they regard as a reliable source. There are people in a high school and they have no idea of it is just a group of kids or a group of people with a more sinister reason for being there. They have no idea how the group will respond to them. If it was someone truly out to do harm, they could start running through the neighborhood and even take hostages in an effort to get away from the police. With a helicopter, the officers are able to keep track of exactly where they are. Deaths of on-duty police officers is still rare. Unfortunately, the numbers are rising -- some say dramatically. Tampa has already lost a few officers this year already. Maybe they didn't want to risk losing more. I don't blame them for that. They were going in there blind. I say better to go in prepared for the worse case senario and be wrong than go in unprepared and also be wrong.

As to what they should think through... the same thing I tell my kids to think about. The possible consequences of their actions. What if someone hears us? What if the police are called in? Are these questions too far out of the realm of possibility to think about before breaking into a public building?

If you think so, fine. If you think the police came in with too much force, fine. That is your opinion and you are absolutely entitled to it. We will just have to agree to disagree. No problem.

 

[plutotek]

I think "appropriate" senior pranks are a right of passage however, once you break into a building, key or not, that changes things. A couple more favorable "pranks" I have witnessed was my cousin's class back in the 70's managed to get a VW Bug on to the roof of the school. Even the principal had a good laugh over that one. Several years later, same school, kids took real estate signs from all over town and stuck them in the yard at the school. It was pretty funny-they even put a note on each sign so they could return them to the proper home after the newspaper took pictures.

Gee, was that in Northern California, because it happened at my HS then, too

 

[FireDancer]

I think if any part of your senior prank can be considered a felony you really should choose a different prank.

The police had to assume the worst and the worst is arson or someone planting a bomb. It is easy to second guess after the fact.

 

[okeydokey]

Keep in mind that the police had no idea what they were going into. Someone could have been planting bombs for all they knew. A helicopter can be used to track suspects that escape from officers in pursuit.

Ever since Columbine, school districts and police have received training about how to respond to emergency situations in their buildings. If the police didn't know who was in the school unauthorized or what their intent was, they are trained to be prepared for any situation. If they are entering the building with guns drawn and a mistake was made, then a student could have been killed. The prank would not be seen as harmless at that point.

 

[Mary•Poppins]

I do believe the kids went about it the wrong way. It was harmless, but when the police are involved, it is not longer just a prank.

Below is a YouTube video of some of our high school kids playing a prank on their history teacher. They got permission from the principal for the whole thing. It is quite funny. Enjoy. ( ... and yes, I live in Mayberry! )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB1ntFl_AXo

 

[disneyismyname]

We did our senior prank in the morning. It was harmless

 

[kaytieeldr]

The police lost my support when they responded with a helicopter (What?). When we graduated we all brought our horses to school and built a huge teepee on the front lawn. This sounds even more tame. My word! Cups with water in them! What is the world coming to!

Those cups of water can be dangerous!! Someone could slip.

But a kid wishing a teacher dead is soooo harmless.

I really don't understand some posters.

I agree the police were reckless to show up with such force.

The police were expecting to find a crime in progress, not a prank. It makes more sense to come prepared for the worst, than to find themselves undermanned in a dangerous situation.