http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=display...amp;format=html

So it was a prank?? WoW. Forgive and forget?? talk about screwing up...

most senior classes do pull some kind of prank... mine, for example.. created a barnyard on the yard... literally... cows and all.. used over 400 rolls of TP... duct taped the doors shut, and dressed the statue up as harry potter. my personal contribution weas to plant 8 bajillion pumpkins around the perimiter, so that the following fall when they thought they were rid of us, forth would spring my pumpkiny revenge... smothsburg paints their hill, north shrink wraps cars... happens every year... the administration usually sees it coming and warns off any real damage, profanity, etc. then everyone comes to school, has a good laugh, the freshman have to clean it, and everyone graduates...lol.

the jefferson kids vroke a few big "senior prank rules" here. first off, they broke in to the school. they were offensive on purpose, and it is too early.... don't pull a prank until youre sure ytour ass is graduating, and the admins are safely in that "end of the year good mood". gotta wait till after prom at least.

the hiding of the phones was kinna funny....

my senior year i stapled together everything in my AP brit lit teacher's room...sorry amherien!! <3

i see why the school is pissed... there's no "fun" in really causing harm...

It pisses me off that the parents are protesting with the kids. Why should this "prank" be overlooked, and what does this teach the kids about personal responsibility? I'm all for a funny prank (and this one is pretty lame, IMO), but these kids are guilty of breaking and entering and causing damage to school property. I don't see any point in not allowing them to graduate, but they should definitely have to pay for the damage they caused, and their parents should be ashamed of making excuses for them.

Well................senior pranks CAN be a pain in the a**, but charging these kids with a FELONY when there was no violence involved? Please! When domestic violence and child abuse become felonies, then talk to me about voting for someone who will make a class prank a felony.

My class took the horse out the the corral at the Red Horse Inn and put it on top of the school. The police angrily told the person whose truck it traveled on to put it back, but I don't even think they got anyone's ID or called anyone's parents. They just said that if the horse wasn't put back right away, THEN they would start doing those things.........................people didn't overreact to bullsh*t back then!

I spoke with a guy who is a janitor at a nearby WV high school. He said the school gets broken into quite a lot and the kids trash the place. Apparently this incident is less damaging than some others that get less newsprint.

The schools where this happens need to state very clearly that certain behaviors will result in prosecution so there is no misunderstanding. Costs have to factor in somewhere -- how much did it cost the schools to undo what was done?

Making the kids cover the cost is one thing. Charging them as adults so that they can be prosecuted for felonies is another thing. Once again; talk to me about voting for people who will make school pranks felonies when domestic violence and child abuse become felonies.

yeah i agree.

also,i forgot to add: it's senior prank tradition that the seniors who participate in the prank ALSO give a gift back to the school... my class gave new wooden "lawn furniture" to the outdoor eating area.. the class before gave new bleachers for the field... classes at other schools did murals, new lines in the parking lot, etc... wonder if these kids did something like that too??

sounds as if the whole thing started innocent enough and a few morons ruined it for everyone.

Agreed....mostly. If the damage goes over a certain dollar amount I think, like misdemeanor theft becoming felony theft, it might reasonably become felony destruction of property. It is all a matter of degrees. There is domestic violence (a smack in the head) and there is domestic violence (beating someone into a coma).

Believe it or not, beating someone into a coma is not always a felony, especially if it is a child getting beaten into a coma. The only child abuse cases that get special attention from the judicial system are the ones that get covered by the media. And I would rather see a slap on the head prosecuted as a felony that a non-violent school prank done by teenagers.

The principal in this case said the kids caused about $3,000 in damages dragging furniture across the floors, etc. I think it would be a shame to charge these kids and/or not allow them to graduate. I do think they should pay for damages.

My opinion; stet docket, restitution, 100 hours of Community Service, and be allowed to graduate.

Can't wait to here from Yoss and BMIC: should have been shot dead, or at least Tazered for 10-15 minutes, 6-7 year prison sentence and possibly the death penalty.

The last time i checked vandalism and breaking and entering were crimes not pranks. Giving your buddy a wedgie is a prank.
So pay restitution, community service 40 hrs each and when thats completed then PBJ.

I'm kind of thinking jail time would be appropriate.

Agree: communication needs to occur at all schools. This needs to be a learning opportunity. This same argument has happened across the country for many decades. It just takes one or two students with impaired impulse control or over excitement to take it a step too far. That is when the monetary damages shoot up to criminal levels and in some schools injuries have occurred via so called pranks gone wrong. Amazingly, the definition of a prank and a crime varies significantly between households. So, communication is key.

It is great fun when all goes right. But when it doesn't, someone has to pay the bill and that can mean money and time for those who clean it up. Kids have to be aware that others, even janitors, have a life and are due some respect and dignity. Again, it usually is all in good fun. But kids have to recognize the cost response to those who clean up after them. Mom and Dad should be laying it out. You do the mischief, you clean up and do not be surprised if there is a consequence. If you can live with the consequence and it does not negatively impact others, then go ahead. Otherwise, think long and hard.

.......YUP, I too had fun in high school but I also recall later classes where the damages skyrocketed due to 1 or 2 over achievers. They made it bad for the larger group. Communication between school administration, students, and parents is key. A little planning and reason goes a long way and is a good life lesson. Like I said, some have totally different takes on what is a silly prank and what is a crime. Also, some kids and parents have a disregard for clean up staff. All behavior & mess affects others, especially outside one's own circle of friends.

All schools need communication & a reality checks before the day of senior pranks. Then the kids can have fun. I am not outlawing fun, just suggesting a little individual responsibility. And a helping hand for those who do not recognize what that is.

High school seniors should not have to be told that it is not OK to break into a locked building...any locked building. By that age, if they don't know that, telling them is not going to make a bit of difference. But charging these kids with felonies is going too far. Make them pay for the damages, do community service and make them tell other kids it is not OK to break into buildings of any kind.

Appx. 15 "kids" would take at least 2 vehicles, even if they piled into Homer's 4x4. Its after 11:00 at night. They need to get to the roof (at least one to open the door). Time to pull off the Mission Imposible style "prank" in the dark. All the while in a new facility. If these were Seniors from a "rival" school there could be breakage, paint, flooding etc. that could occur. Seen it done. I would spread these "kids" out over the summer as night-time security guards at the school. That would make a point. Better lighting may be in order too. Also, is it naieve to think that no parents know the whereabouts of their teens at night? I'm thinking the protesting parents had a hand in it. I must be way too anal about my teen. heh

The 'PRANK' has all the earmarks of thought out destruction of property. That is a crime. They hid phones and hung them on chalkboards & ruined desks. Why is this considered 'harmless fun'..harmless fun is water balloons on a hot day, not property damage.

Sorry, I think they should not be allowed to walk across the stage and they should be given alot of community service hours. And isn't it a bit early for the sr. prank? Seems like we waited until we were leaving within a week to do anything, like chalk up the walkways..

Gee for my senior prank all they did was steal the statue from Bob's Big Boy, put it in the courtyard in front of the school and dressed it up. No damage done at all, by whomever it was who did it. I don't think anybody but "they" knew who "they" actually were. We just all arrived at school one morning and there was the statue, being loaded onto a trailer. No breaking and entering, no destruction of property. The statue was retreived and returned to the restaurant and nobody really made a big deal of it.

Gee, my school didn't do any senior pranks at all.

now's the time for revenge, jels....

hmmmm, might be an idea.

HEADLINE NEWS:

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN BUSTED FOR RELEASING STEERS INTO CLEAR SPRING HIGH SCHOOL - DETAILS AT NOON.

what ya do is ya get 4 chickens, and # them 1,2,3,and 5, so all day theyre lookin for poor chicken #4

Ok I agree with everyone who says that "everyone" is overreacting. They are. First high school kids when getting together drop their collective IQ's by a large measure. This I have no doubt was intended to be a joke. Much as years ago the kids who put the principals car on the roof of South High intended it to be a joke. It was bad joke and a stupid. But let's look at the facts:

1. They didn't break the desks or smash the telephones they moved the desks and they hid the telephones or hung them high up. Had they been bent on destruction as some of you seem to think they could have more easily spray painted everything, smashed the telephones and broke out the windows.

2. Felony? Get real any official proposing a felony for this should be fired. Is it really going to accomplish anything to have how many kids all of a sudden out of school, unable to get jobs and maybe not even be able to go to college in some cases. Then to have a felony on their record for the rest of their life not be able to get certain jobs even years from now? A kid of 15 could commit a real felony deal drugs or something and most likely they would have their record cleared.

If you go the criminal route be sensible- probation before judgment, restitution and community service. That way their lives aren't messed up but the truly bad apples will have a sword over their heads.

3. As for the school yes there should be strong punishment. Unfortunately if the school wanted to set examples corporal punishment was outlawed. But 6 good swats with a paddle at an assembly would go a long way in deterring future acts senior pranking. After all can you see the junior sitting there watching some big senior cry like a little kid? He is not going to want that happening to him and would avoid it. Since that is not an option here is what I would do;

The kids would all be required to serve in school suspension for 3 days, detention would be alternated for two weeks over the rest of the school year and they would be required to help the janitorial staff clean up, restitution would be required and finally I would let them walk graduation (unless there were any other problems) but they would each have to apologize to the school and guests before the graduation started. Nothing huge a 30 second this is what I did, it was wrong and stupid.

You need to make them face up to things but you don't put their whole future at stake for something that was a stupid thing to do that harmed no one if restitution is made. One other thing for those spouting for a felony, do you want to be paying for them? Jail time cost the taxpayers’ money, court time cost the taxpayer’s money, prosecutors and investigators cost money. Don’t you want your court and police going after people who are harming others? Even probation you are going to be paying the probation officer and the people who keep the records.

Like I said earlier a good paddling would go pretty far in controlling behavior in school.

"Like I said earlier a good paddling would go pretty far in controlling behavior in school."
Heh if they would have got some at like age 5-9 like a normal kid it wouldnt be needed in their teens.....
I think public "caning" has its merits...

I take issue with adults who say: "So what if the staff need to clean up after the kids, kids will be kids."

Since when are the janitors or minimum wage workers, or whoever is on staff stuck w/ the mess, beneath your kids? Why should school staff be expected to be your kids' maid service? Respect, dignity, and concern for others should be exemplified in our actions, and taught to our kids, at home and at school. It may be important when they show up at a company to work, or try to raise a family. They will need some sense of responsibility to be ready for life. They can not be successful if they wait for mom and dad or others to bail them out, or clean up their mess.

I see a wide range of choices and learning consequences, not saying jail/ just not sure yet. Would have to take it case by case and assess the situation. What I do say is, you can not blow it off. That is not parenting. JMO, that and 5 cents will get a stick of gum.

Some of the parents seen on the news presented a bad attitude. Some parents are actually cheering the kids. There are also parents who hint they may of helped with the preparation or knew the details before hand........I say to those who were interviewed: Grow up and be a parent.

To be ok with others cleaning up your kids' mess is very telling. It is an odd dynamic to be shaping in your kids. Kind of reeks of the entitlement attitude being pooh poohed in another thread about that mom.

Oh, I am not over reacting.
Just loving my kids and the expectations that were placed on them. We all set our own course. To each his/her own.

So then you think jail time is the right sentence

Do something clever and impish, (planting pumpkin seeds - nice. Just when you thought you dug them all up - GAH another!). Don't actually be like one of those that didn't graduate and become an actual pain in the ass and wallet.

They committed a criminal act when they broke into the school.

They committed a criminal act when they destroyed property.

While I don't think this is grounds for denying them their graduation certificates, they should not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony.

The "kids" over 18 should be charged with the appropriate crimes which should be tried in a court of law.

The "kids" under 18 should be charged as juveniles and adjudicated in juvenile court.

This was not a "prank", this was a criminal offense.

*just my opinion*

That's the way the cops see it yes. And maybe the courts should get to sort it all out. Heck I've just been lamenting the fact that the courts don't always punish to the fullest possible extent, so maybe the court will deal with them appropriately after all. But IMO it's still a shame that we should have to use the criminal justice system to deal with a high school prank gone awry.

I freakin knew it. No one gets a pass on Yoss' watch.

Yup, too bad the parents and kids had not risen to individual responsibility. Then the cops and school would not be picking up the pieces. Cleaning up the mess left by others. I agree it is too bad the criminal justice system has to be involved, wished the parents and kids had shown they could. Their actions or lack of set the course.

A pass? You want to give these people a pass?

You going to give them a pass when they break into the Principal's house and spray paint his walls? (ok, a stretch, I know) But where do you draw the line?

Let the courts decide.

They went over the line, they need to be responsible for their actions.

i agree that they were way out of line, and i'm all for a good prank.

i think that if indeed they are prosecuted, they need to consider the individuals involved... were they kids with a track record of trouble making? or were these "good" kids who strayed from their original idea and wound up making some bad decisions? or perhaps a mixed bag??

it did say that one kid damaged a desk and felt so bad they offered to pay for it...

maybe it all started in good fun, and went arwry, or perhaps the damage WAS the original intent of a few of the participants...

this is another one fo those where i will say i'd like to knwo the whole story.. or at least some more details..

For those of you who think charges should be pressed... What if it were your own children involved? A close look at the article really shows no true damage done...



How about making the students accountable for their actions by issuing mandatory community service? Or make the students prepare the school for the graduation? Clean, set up, organize, decorate? Or find the phones that still have not been located. If the students were the ones that hid them, they should be the ones who find them. And, if they cannot be found, divide the appropriate charges between all the students involved.


The article did indicate that for the one minor damage done, restitution was voluntarily paid by the student who did the damage.



To not allow the students to graduate, or charge them with felony crimes is more than overkill - it unjust.

You been in Philly lately Burn?

Let's let the law sour it out mad make a decision based on the facts.

Going forward, as preventive action so to speak, all local schools where class pranks occur should set clear ground rules well before prank season stating what will not be tolerated. Let's not allow unnecessary ambiguity as to what is and is not a prank, at least to the best of our current ability.

Were they given a chance, or did everyone start talking felony charges from the beginning?

Pandora's posts points out that the damage was minimal. If these kids are engaged in after school activities and/or sports, chances are they come to view their school as their second home. Doing a prank like this after hours doesn't cross their minds as being the same as breaking into a federally-protected building and doing true destructive damage.

IMO the administration and LE's outrage seems to be way out of balance to the actual "crime".

I gotta agree the a felony seems overkill. Yes, they should be held responsible, but I believe a lesson can be learned without the felony charge. And Snoopy is right, IMO. These schools should give clear guide lines as to what is appropriate and what is not. Teens can get carried away without evil intentions.

Yes, they broke the law. But, sometimes I think that the letter of the law has to be tempered with the spirit of the law. If they broke into a community store and stole something, yes, charge them. They all know better. But, the school is their "intended prank target". Make them responsible before the school and work, work, work and pay, pay, pay. Then make sure there are rules in place so it doesn't get out of hand next year.

I also agree with BMIC... sometimes the police are part of the problem. (Sorry, Yoss!). I respect authority and want my kids to all learn to pay the penalty, but sometimes common sense is left behind.

In Greencastle, there are policemen that will tag behind cars driven by teenagers and intimidate them. Follow them all around when they're not doing anything wrong. Not too long ago, this caused an accident where a teen was killed. Then, there's the police who try to give kids a plea deal for drug charges in exchange for helping them set up bigger drug dealers. I'm talking about underage teens too. This, to me, is just wrong. So, I can't always say that I can blindly follow the letter of the law. Too much room for abuse and it's in our teens best interest to make sure this abuse doesn't happen. That's my opinion.

just to add..

I think when the police go overboard with bully tactics, it causes teenagers to lose the little respect they may have for law enforcement and, IMO, rightfully so. You can't teach teens to be good citizens when they see that the people who are there to protect them are abusing that power.


I love it, though, when I read about a cop who takes a real interest in the kids in the neighborhood and respects them and tries to be a role model for them. And there are some in Hagerstown.

We want law abiding citizens. Punishment should be appropriate to the actions and intent of the "crime". So, let's help these kids become responsible adults and not bitter criminals.

Had me worried for a minute there. I'm glad you remembered to point out that not all cops are so bad, Checks. There are good ones and bad ones, and the good ones can do an awful lot of good if they can manage to gain the true respect of our youth.

It's a shame they're not all always "good" but they spend most of their time dealing with really bad people in really bad situations, so I find it hard to blame them. Instead, I'd rather heap praise on those who rise above it and take whatever opportunities come to have positive interactions with our kids.

Did not say arrest them and jail them.

Oh my, comment on taking responsibility and its an injustice to ask parents to parent and kids to listen. Sure I know people try and I commend their efforts and salute their energies to promote responsible behavior. Again, every teen is going to have ups and downs, I get it. but we still need to hang in there and set expectations. I know parents try.

NO, not telling people how to parent so don't go there. That is a cop out statement. Just saying not all kids are in this mess so lets look at what some are doing right. Like maybe taking responsibility for one's actions. Parents and kids need to be taking responsibility.

I know I could not afford after school activities so my kids had jobs and volunteered in downtown Hagerstown. Again, not suggesting how others are parenting just pointing out many kids are on positive paths, and I salute how they got there. Sure there are ups and downs and peer pressure, it happens but lets discuss how to avoid escalation. ...............There is no credence to "Kids will be kids", it is a cop out. Sure, there are bad days in anyone's life. But for some adults to go on the news and defend the kids 100%, and to trash authority is a bit extreme. I just do not get it, or see it as helping.

The latest:

School officials, police awaiting possible charges in Jefferson High break-in


When 15 Jefferson High School students participated in a March 30 break-in at the school, a crime was committed, and school officials and police are awaiting action by the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s office about possible charges.

Jefferson County Board of Education President Pete Dougherty, who held a press conference Monday with Jefferson County Sheriff Everett “Ed” Boober, said school officials have been taking many questions about how they plan to proceed in the matter.


Dougherty said “no one in the school system takes any pleasure” in the string of events, and the school system was a “victim of a crime” that will cooperate with police.

The break-in at the school north of Charles Town, W.Va., was part of a regular trend of a senior prank, but the incident went too far, school officials have said. After entering that school about 11 p.m., students dragged 600 desks into hallways, hid 31 telephones and wrote inappropriate comments in Spanish on chalkboards, school officials said.

I think they should be made to write a1,000 word essay on why I should not do damage to school property.
Also have them clean up the areas where they did the (prank) distruction. They would not be able to cross the stage with the rest of the grads.

Kids these days. Tsk tsk. They just don't know when something goes too far.

Moving the desks into the hallways would've been funny enough.

1. Moving desks - oh my!

2. Hiding (not damaging nor stealing) telephones - holy cow!

3. Writing "inappropriate" comments in spanish on the chalkboards - what a scandal!

Oh yes what a crime! This is definitely the worst thing to ever happen in Jerfferson County! Definitely worthy of prosecution! We had better ruin those kids' future! Lock them up and throw away the key!

/sarcasm off

IMO the real scandal here is the overreaction by that dolt Dougherty. How embarrassing for the County Prosecuting Attorney and Sheriff who hopefully know better but are being forced to press the matter. This is really ridiculous - as in worthy of ridicule.

They forcibly broke into a government building, to wit, a school.

They damaged property.

Even in West Virginia it's still considered crimes.

Although, mitigation should play into the punishment.

Should they write the essays in Spanish?

Ya never know, Yoss; these may be the type of dangerous criminals who'd grow up and post a bunch of emoticons in HM's shoutbox one day. We'd better make sure they are severely punished!

Both spanish and english.

But cost response or a reality check makes their parents unhappy. Those who had fun when they were teens would be upset too. If one person did it in 1979 then it must be ok.. So, no. No cost response should be expected................

Seriously, breaking into a govt building, i.e. a school is a crime. At least, we parents should take this as a wake up call to at least have a dialog w/ our kids. Maybe a hint that in this day and time I would not break into a govt building, even if I had been a playful teen in the 80s. Even if buying into the law is too hard for some, then how about "Times change", we are in a new reality where breaking into govt buildings is a bigger deal then in 1979.

I still do not feel really comfortable w/ the entitlement attitude. That it is ok for my kid to damage property because the janitor will clean up after them, not a productive message for youth. Rubs me the wrong way on a couple of levels. And I was girl who just wanted to have fun. Thank you Cindy Lauper, I think.