<p>I think that someone getting hurt is serious enough that those students should not be permitted to go to the graduation. However, some schools have become really nasty about letting kids “walK” the stage if they had any disciplinary issues. This is while, ironically, more schools are letting kids go to graduation when they have not quite yet made the academic requirements to graduate and need to acquire them over the summer!</p>
<p>Actually, when I was finishing up my master’s, I had one final project paper due with a deadline at the end of the summer, and I was allowed to walk in May. But all my classwork was done.</p>
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<p>You make one mistake and get someone killed, you may end up in prison for a LONG time. Would this not be a terrible blow to the family as well? Sure the person would be held responsible, but the parents and family would feel it too…</p>
<p>I don’t think the quote above was using the rationale of “one mistake.” Surely just one mistake can be very bad with serious consequences. It is not about quantity of mistakes. </p>
<p>However, I also think the consequences should be harsh…cleaning the school, suspension for rest of year, no senior events like prom, etc. However, I don’t think the graduation ceremony is the appropriate consequence. That marks what the kid did right…achieved and met graduation requirements. I am all for harsh punishments. I just don’t think the grad ceremony is the right one. I’m not the person you quoted but agree with that post and I don’t think that person was in any way saying this was due to “one mistake.” He/she suggested a range of consequences in fact.</p>
<p>As i said before … a bunch of idiots</p>
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<p>I feel these contradict here…</p>
<p>I don’t feel that is a contradiction. I"m all for a slew of consequences…some that blueiguana wrote like cleaning the school and community service. As well, a suspension is in order. As well, missing special events like prom. Also, he is an athlete and he should sit out the remaining competitions. </p>
<p>Graduation marks the culmination of earning the diploma. The kids earned the diploma. The consequences should not be related to that. The graduation is also, in part, for the family. I think you can pile on consequences without graduation. He is, after all, graduating and earned the diploma. I don’ think the rite of passage is what is the appropriate consequence to take away. I don’t see attending graduation as a privilege. I see it as a right that was earned by earning the credits. I think privileges like prom, athletic events, etc. should be taken away, as well as the students suspended, as well as helping those who were injured and doing tasks for the school to give back.</p>
<p>My point, however, in the earlier post, was that the rationale had nothing to do with “just one mistake.” One mistake can have serious consequences. I just think the consequences should fit the situation.</p>
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<p>You don’t have to participate in graduation to receive your diploma. I really wonder how many schools do give out the diplomas at graduation? My guess is very few.</p>
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<p>I agree with you. But I do have to wonder… Would making the kid clean the school be legal? I’m no lawyer, but my guess is no. I would guess it would violate child labor laws and possibly union rules because I bet the custodians are union…</p>
<p>I don’t see how volunteer work beautifying the school or doing some task the school needs done is violating child labor laws. </p>
<p>I do think graduation is a rite of passage and the kids earned that. My kids did get their diplomas at HS graduation. I don’t think erasing everything the kids did right is the appropriate consequence. I think they earned graduation. They did not earn privileges like prom and sports events. They should have to pay back in some fashion and give back to the school. Suspensions are in order for a disciplinary matter too.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, due to time restrictions, they were not able to identify the students responsible until after the oil was cleaned up, so the cleaning would have to take place in some other context in the school. </p>
<p>I do know that, at our school, when kids have been caught ‘defaming’ property, when appropriate, they’ve had the students restore it to its previous condition. I know specifically of one time when someone used markers to write on the metal lockers, thinking the marks would come off easily, but they obviously picked the wrong kind of marker and did quite a bit of damage to dozens of lockers. They were responsible for getting them clean, and it took an entire weekend of some serious elbow grease. </p>
<p>If the kids are not getting paid to do the work (meaning, they’re not infringing on someone else’s pay), why would the union care?</p>
<p>For the FB page, search for the kid’s name, then look at his groups at page bottom.</p>
<p>My S’s school really cracked down on senior pranks this year, which I’m not sure was such a good idea either. I mean, the worst thing that happened in recent years was that some kids released chickens and mice in the commons area … big deal! As for walking at graduation, when my brother graduated in '83, one girl was banned because she had one paper still out, which seems harsh, but it was kind of a power struggle thing and it was a Catholic school that could ban anyone they wanted anyway …</p>
<p>Last year when my daughter was a junior, the seniors pulled this prank. She almost fell down a whole flight of stairs. The only thing that stoped her was being able to catch the rail on her way down. We should make a point to speak to our students about this sort of thing.</p>
<p>[Senior</a> prank creates ‘oil slick’ at suburban school - Chicago Breaking News](<a href=“Chicago Breaking News - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Tribune”>Chicago Breaking News - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Tribune)</p>
<p>At the school one of my kids attended, where many of the lockers are not used because students prefer to carry around their stuff or leave it in their cars, some seniors put raw fish in scattered empty lockers on a Friday. By Monday, the stench was terrible, and because the fish were in multiple locations, it took the staff a long time to find all of them.</p>
<p>It wasn’t dangerous, I suppose, but the underclassmen thought that it was well beyond the limits of acceptability.</p>
<p>In my school, the seniors put live chickens in unused lockers, then opened the lockers and had a down-feather pillow fight in the main hallway in front of the principle’s office. One chicken was somehow accidently killed, and several people developed allergic reactions to the down feathers. </p>
<p>The principle was furious. He made them ALL stay and clean it up, the leaders had to apologize over the loudspeaker the next day, and now the senior class has to hold a fundraiser because otherwise their prom will be canceled. I’m not sure if they were suspended or anything. That would have been pointless since senior internships (outside of school) have begun, and I have a feeling the administration didn’t want to hurt their college chances.</p>
<p>The seniors usually do things like sleep overnight on the large school grounds or hold a picnic there. They once had a barbeque and waterslides in the front lawn of the school. The Vice-Principle came and ate hot dogs with them, then put everyone in detention. Our school is OK-ish with senior pranks, they’re kinda expected, but not if they go too far.</p>
<p>I work in a hs. This oil-on-the-stairs prank is not funny at all. The injuries could have been much worse. Any 3rd grader could tell you this was a dumb idea.</p>
<p>I absolutely agree with banning the students involved from the graduation ceremony. People need to get over this idea that kids are entitled to walk at graduation. They are entitled to a diploma, but the ceremony is a privilege. Frankly, I don’t know an administrator who would be happy shaking hands and saying congratulations to a student who just caused a serious injury to a staff member, injured fellow students, and screwed up the entire school’s schedule so that the mess could be cleaned up. That custodian may have lost his ability to earn a living for weeks, months or longer. Worker’s Comp doesn’t pay 100% and back problems have a way of becoming chronic.</p>
<p>Stupid, stupid, stupid. Take the punishment of missing the ceremony and be glad you’re not facing criminal mischief charges.</p>
<p>Suppose the custodian is really injured badly - can he successfully sue the pranksters and/or the school for lost wages, etc.?</p>
<p>In Lockland, Ohio, 20 students were recently arrested for executing what they thought would be a good senior prank. Sometimes, high school students just don’t think things through.</p>
<p>[Students</a> arrested in Lockland prank | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com](<a href=“Cincinnati News, Sports and Things to Do | Cincinnati Enquirer”>Cincinnati News, Sports and Things to Do | Cincinnati Enquirer)</p>
<p>[No</a> felony charges for Lockland prank | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com](<a href=“Cincinnati News, Sports and Things to Do | Cincinnati Enquirer”>Cincinnati News, Sports and Things to Do | Cincinnati Enquirer)</p>
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<p>Umm… if they’re required to do it, then it’s not really volunteer work is it?</p>
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<p>At many schools, those kids PAY for those sports and prom, etc. They don’t pay for graduation.</p>
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<p>Well, anyone can sue anyone for anything, pretty much; the question is, will he?</p>
<p>I’m guessing he will get worker’s comp, but as someone else mentioned, it’s not 100%. </p>
<p>My bet is if he does, it will be settled out of court.</p>