Kids who do these “pranks” assume (arrogantly or naively) that others share their worldview or humor. Even if it is just a joke or a harmless insult, is it right for the institution’s leaders to laugh along? Why should African American students acquiesce to the humor/worldview simply because the prank was well-intentioned, good natured? To borrow the words of Silveria, treating these violations as normal pranking is a horrible idea.
If this was not a threat (of course it was!), the question we should be asking is why the perpetrator(s) were so cocky as to think their “prank” was funny. Who did they think would join in the laughter? Who were they trying to entertain with this prank? Does it ever stop being funny, like when the prank is done repeatedly to the same kid or multiple kids?