‘Destructive’ pranks get over 80 seniors barred from graduation, NC district says
Cement, dead fish and a moped.
That’s what led to dozens of students being barred from graduation after a string of destructive senior pranks, according to a North Carolina school district.
More than 80 students from Alamance-Burlington schools won’t be allowed to take part in the upcoming ceremonies, the Board of Education said in a June 1 statement. The teens, many of them graduating seniors, are also suspended for the rest of the school year.
Seven students have been charged after officials accused them of damaging toilets and urinals at a high school, racking up more than $4,000 in damage.
But that’s not all. Officials reported overturned desks, dead fish dumped in a parking lot, graffiti, cement mix in toilets and a moped parked on the roof at schools across the district, WXII and WGHP reported.
“This really goes beyond a prank at this point,” a district spokesperson told WGHP. “This is destruction of school property.”
The district is investigating and said more students could face disciplinary action.
“Other students who are not graduating seniors will be suspended for the remainder of this school year and will be recommended for additional consequences under the Code of Conduct,” district officials said. “Students suspected of damage to school property will also be reported to law enforcement.”
One of the students involved apologized for the hijinks, saying what he did was “completely unacceptable,” WFMY reported.
“I’d like to issue an apology to Williams High School and to my family and friends who are all affected by this,” Alex Solari, 18, told the station. “I am working right now to make it right.”
“There wasn’t a lot of thinking in this obviously,” Solari said, according to the station.
Two other students, who are under 18, were referred to a youth diversion program, according to WXII.
Officials said they expect the number of students barred from graduation to rise as they continue investigating.
“The disruption of learning, monetary costs to our District, extra burden on our facilities team and, at several campuses, the disregard for student safety simply cannot be tolerated,” they said in a statement.
Burlington is about 60 miles northwest of downtown Raleigh.
This story was originally published June 2, 2023 at 9:17 AM with the headline "‘Destructive’ pranks get over 80 seniors barred from graduation, NC district says."