Senior Pranks: Are Your Children Risking Their Future?
Christopher L. Vaughn
June 14, 2007
With the end to the school year upon us, high schools across the nation will no doubt fall victim to the yearly ritual of the Senior Prank. Every year seniors conjure up and plan elaborate hoaxes and pranks as a way to get the last laugh and say ‘adios’ to the school system. But, are your children risking their future by carrying out these pranks? What are the legal, moral, and academic repercussions if they get caught?
Senior Pranks have taken place for generations and can very from simple chalk drawings to the criminal and elaborate, with punishments just as wide-ranging.
In 2005 for example, students from St. Charles East High School near Chicago were charged with felony attempted burglary and felony possession of burglary tools after their senior prank was foiled. The students had planned on stealing a golf cart and to then drive it into a retention pond. But they were spotted breaking into the school’s storage shed by the school’s custodian and fled when the police arrived. Later after the students thought the police had left, they returned to retrieve a pair of bolt cutters that had been left behind. Sgt. Daniel P. Figgins, 53, of the St. Charles Police Department had remained on the school grounds and began chasing the two students. But before Officer Figgins was able to catch the two students he suffered a heart attack, collapsed, and was later pronounced dead.
In another example, seniors from Lake Highlands High School’s 2006 class thought it would be funny to spike bran muffins with marijuana and to pass them out to the school’s staff. The prank resulted in 18 staff members being hospitalized and the FBI becoming involved in the case because of the school’s food supply becoming contaminated. The two students that were responsible for the prank were charged with 5 counts of assault on a public servant which is a third-degree felony and can carry a penalty of two to 10 years.
The students involved in these two examples not only had to face felony charges and in-house punishments from their school, but they now have to live with the fact that they’ve hurt others and changed lives.
Granted, these two examples are extreme, but they show how our children may not think of the consequences for their actions. It’s a small step from a misdemeanor to a felony when you consider that in most states any damages exceeding the amount of $400 can be classified as a felony, which includes the cost of clean up. Even smaller pranks such as carpeting the school lawn with forks or gluing a few locks can lead to a criminal record and affect such things as college placement, scholarship acceptance, military acceptance, and employment opportunities—all of which can place your child’s future at risk.
Senior Pranks have taken place for generations and can very from simple chalk drawings to the criminal and elaborate, with punishments just as wide-ranging.
In 2005 for example, students from St. Charles East High School near Chicago were charged with felony attempted burglary and felony possession of burglary tools after their senior prank was foiled. The students had planned on stealing a golf cart and to then drive it into a retention pond. But they were spotted breaking into the school’s storage shed by the school’s custodian and fled when the police arrived. Later after the students thought the police had left, they returned to retrieve a pair of bolt cutters that had been left behind. Sgt. Daniel P. Figgins, 53, of the St. Charles Police Department had remained on the school grounds and began chasing the two students. But before Officer Figgins was able to catch the two students he suffered a heart attack, collapsed, and was later pronounced dead.
In another example, seniors from Lake Highlands High School’s 2006 class thought it would be funny to spike bran muffins with marijuana and to pass them out to the school’s staff. The prank resulted in 18 staff members being hospitalized and the FBI becoming involved in the case because of the school’s food supply becoming contaminated. The two students that were responsible for the prank were charged with 5 counts of assault on a public servant which is a third-degree felony and can carry a penalty of two to 10 years.
The students involved in these two examples not only had to face felony charges and in-house punishments from their school, but they now have to live with the fact that they’ve hurt others and changed lives.
Granted, these two examples are extreme, but they show how our children may not think of the consequences for their actions. It’s a small step from a misdemeanor to a felony when you consider that in most states any damages exceeding the amount of $400 can be classified as a felony, which includes the cost of clean up. Even smaller pranks such as carpeting the school lawn with forks or gluing a few locks can lead to a criminal record and affect such things as college placement, scholarship acceptance, military acceptance, and employment opportunities—all of which can place your child’s future at risk.
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