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<p>The kids managed to erase what they did all by themselves with this stupid and very dangerous stunt. They injured other people. </p>
<p>The students earned a DIPLOMA. The ceremony is a lovely tradition, but it’s not necessary for graduation. The actual ceremony a privilege and an honor. It’s earned by a lot of things, academics being only one of them. Behavior worthy of being honored is another.</p>
<p>Best senior prank I ever heard - friends took grass seed and fertilizer and wrote their graduation year on the front lawn of the school. It took a few months, but when they left for college and the whole next year, their former high school had their graduation year proudly planted (literally) in the front lawn.</p>
<p>I don’t see why they need ten consequences. A few very strong ones is the point. Attending graduation doesn’t imply no harsh consequences. They deserve significant consequences. </p>
<p>Many kids attend high school graduation who have been suspended during high school and many other poor behaviors at some point. I think finding harsh consequences is the issue here and not so much graduation.</p>
<p>**Moderator’s Note:</p>
<p>I have merge two threads on this topic. The one on the Parent Forum started later and had fewer posts. Those posts are now combined with the existing thread in the Cafe. There may be a few posts seeming out of sequence where the threads overlapped in time.**</p>
<p>Lafalum…I like the grass seed idea…clever!</p>
<p>hopscout…I called it volunteer work in the sense that it is not paid work requiring child labor laws. It is service work they could be assigned…projects that need doing around the school. They could have to do work that is unpaid to give back to their school in some way. While it is not volunteer work in the sense of choosing to do it, it is required community service that is not paid. Hope that clarifies that.</p>
<p>“They are entitled to a diploma, but the ceremony is a privilege”
^^^</p>
<p>I agree with this on one hand. I also think that, if he did walk, the family would probably be extremely uncomfortable at the ceremony considering the embarrassment of the whole situation. I mean, if he walked, everyone there would be thinking about the prank. Don’t you think? Or at the very least, his Mom and Dad would be imagining that everyone was thinking about it. I know I would be uncomfortable.</p>
<p>I do also see the other side and one of the posts above mentions a good point. If a student gets suspended during, say, sophomore year, they still are allowed to walk come the end of senior year. The graduation ceremony is used as a threat at the end of the year, not because it is a reasonable consequence of bad behavior (if that was the case, ban all students with behavioral issues over all four years from walking) but, rather because it is the only thing left at the end of the year! I think that this is the way that the administrators see it.</p>
<p>That’s the thing, students do egregious things during four years of high school and typically the consequence is not missing graduation. There are suspensions. Community service. Missing special things like prom. Having to be suspended from all ECs like sports. Not sure why it should be different for things like this at the end of senior year. The school year is not over. The students can be suspended. The students are out of sports events or concerts and the like. Required restitution and service can still be ordered. Prom can still be missed. As I wrote in an earlier post, my niece did something that resulted in several consequences, which she should have gotten. But among the many consequences, she also was not allowed to attend graduation. Her misdeed (not a prank) happened in April and graduation was in June. She also had a week’s suspension, couldn’t attend prom, had to attend some class or meetings. I think she deserved to be punished (those were not the only consequences). I didn’t think they had to ALSO take away graduation. It was overkill.</p>
<p>Well then what is a high school supposed to do for serious discipline violations at the end of the year? If they can’t take away the graduation ceremony, what’s left? Our prom is a month before graduation, it was over 2 weeks ago. The school year IS over in many places - D has friends who have already graduated. And frankly, being suspended for 2 weeks at the end of senior year but still being allowed to walk at graduation wouldn’t be a punishment for many kids - it would be a reward. </p>
<p>High school students - if you’re going to do something stupid, be prepared for a consequence. If you choose to do something stupid (and in this case dangerous and injurious to others) right before graduation, know that you won’t get to walk across the stage to get your diploma.</p>
<p>I understand your point if there are no consequences left. I thought in the case in this newstory that the kid couldn’t attend prom and also sports competitions. Not sure what else was taken away. I’m just saying that if there ARE other significant consequences, I’d pick those over graduation. As I wrote, I have a niece who broke a rule in April of her senior year and on top of all the consequences (she deserved these, no question), she also could not attend graduation. I feel she already paid her dues with all the other consequences. It wasn’t like graduation was the only thing left to take away. So, I’m saying if there are other consequences, I’d go for those. I do think these kids could have to do work on things the school needs done, other service work, and miss all other senior events and activities. It did not sound like their school was yet over.</p>
<p>I still disagree - the ‘good kids’ who disrupted school that day should sit out of graduation. One problem with schools (sis is a middle school teacher) is that it is hard for teachers to get administrative support for disruptive and uncooperative students. Kids that don’t allow a teacher to teach should be taken out of the classroom until they can cooperate. Otherwise the rest don’t learn at the rate they should. Don’t forget that school was locked down 2 + hours because of this prank. Letting these kids walk like everyone else send the wrong message to subsequent classes.</p>
<p>“He’s a good kid,” Young said. “I can see if these were bad kids.” That’s from the other thread about another prank. (Similar disbelief from this kid). The remarks tell me that even the adults don’t get it. You behave badly, you’re a bad kid, at least in that context.</p>
<p>I also believe they deserve significant consequences. </p>
<p>I happen to think of graduation as a rite of passage. Those who graduate should be able to be part of the ceremony. I think that a slew of other harsh consequences are in order. It is not as if they should get off scot free. It doesn’t matter if they were good or bad kids before the incident. They deserve harsh consequences.</p>
<p>I thought someone had posted something along the lines of how embarrassing it would be for the parents if their kids were allowed to graduate and they were there, but now I can’t find it.</p>
<p>At this point, I also have to think that if they did allow the kids to walk, it would create a horrible distraction at graduation. Based on the comments on the facebook site, mostly written by current students, don’t you think there’d be quite a commotion when these kids’ names were announced? Some cheering, some jeering. If I were a parent, I don’t think I’d like it, at all. Now the actions your kid has admitted guilt to, has created a disruption in the ceremony. I can’t believe that they’d get through the entire ceremony without some sort of acknowledgement of this, given all the press and attention it’s gotten around here (and when I say acknowledgement, I’m referring to the cheering and jeering). </p>
<p>I just have to believe at this point, letting them walk is not a good idea. </p>
<p>I also kind of feel oddly bad for the one kid who has fessed up and been quoted in the papers. It makes it seem like he’s the only one involved. I think the others need to own up to their part. The ones not identified are starting to look like they have no remorse. They need to step up to the plate and take their lumps, too.</p>
<p>teriwtt, you do have a point about the publicity in this case. When my niece was not allowed to attend graduation, it wasn’t over an event that was in the news! Different situation.</p>
<p>I also think it is unfortunate that only one of the kids involved is named in the news stories.</p>
<p>Reduced sentences for first time offenders are common in criminal cases, for those who asked. To whoever equated this to murder, you flunk crim law. This is nothing like murder. Here there was no intent to cause harm, but due to negligence, harm was caused. If someone would have died (thank god that no one did), it would have been negligent homicide or a crime otherwise titled but similar in elements. There were perhaps a few other torts committed here concerning misuse of school property, and perhaps under Illinois law there are some criminal statues that apply as well. As in any case of negligence, one can be responsible for damages, which due to the injuries sustained by the custodian may be sizable. Even if the custodian is entitled to workers comp for missed pay, there is legal issue as to whether the pranksters are responsible for the type of damages (pain and suffering) that are not allowed in a workers comp. case. Even if the school has insurance, the insurance company can come after the person’s who are responsible in a subrogation claim (as could the school district).</p>
<p>As to is the harshness of the punishment, well it is not so harsh. The man who was injured can not be healed with an apology. If the perps suffer some mental anguish over their misdeeds, then there is a bit of parity. </p>
<p>I am against “practical jokes” which can hurt people. I really can not understand how oil on the stairs could have ever seemed harmless to someone with a “normal” intelligence.</p>
<p>It was a stupid prank…I can’t imagine that they didn’t even contemplate that people would slip and fall!</p>
<p>They claim they put it on the railing but it is not rocket science that it could drip on the stairs from the railing. </p>
<p>Also, even a slippery railing that someone grabs can make them fall as their grip slides and they lose their balance.</p>
<p>soozievt - yes, they claim they only wanted to put in on the railing, but if that’s your goal, USE VASELINE!! </p>
<p>Which is why there is so much speculation that they did indeed plan to do the floors.</p>
<p>Still in the Chicago area, but the opposite direction from the OP. We have 5 Seniors suspended for a very similar prank pulled last week, the last day of Senior attendance. Baby oil on some floors. Prom is long over. They have been suspended through Friday, which is graduation. The only thing they miss/ed was/are Senior Week activities. We are all waiting to see if they walk. It was not the first offense for any of them, though. I’ll post when I get home from the ceremony.</p>
<p>gloworm, did they get the idea from the Bartlett incident?</p>
<p>I really don’t know. If it was posted on youtube,facebook or myspace, it’s possible. </p>
<p>I will say, though, most of the kids saw nothing funny, to their credit.</p>
<p>Update part 1</p>
<p>The Foolish Five (my term) had to report to school today for cleaning/returning underclass books to the bookstore. Next update after tomorrow’s ceremony.</p>