http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/home/article/0,1...3802064,00.html

 

 

Volusia Christian school cancels graduation over seniors' prank

By The Associated Press

May 23, 2005

 

DELEON SPRINGS, Fla.- The small senior class at Lighthouse Christian Academy thought they were pulling a memorable graduation prank when they sneaked into the school and slathered Crisco on door handles, covered toilet seats with plastic wrap and barricaded stairways with plywood.

 

Maybe, but it's also going to cost them a memorable experience _ as punishment, Principal Luke Pearson has canceled their graduation ceremony. He also told them to stay home the last six days of the school year.

 

"They have to learn self-control," said Pearson, whose office desk the seniors replaced with one that was preschool sized . "Why didn't someone say, 'Hey, we went too far?'"

 

In the wee early morning hours last Thursday, seven of the school's eight seniors sneaked into the school and pulled off their prank, thinking it wouldn't be a big deal. Using shaving cream, they signed their work "Senior Class of 2005," put up a poster that read "We love you, Mr. Pearson," and left a note saying they wouldn't be at school that day.

 

But Pearson wasn't amused _ prospective students and their parents that day were visiting Lighthouse, a private school for grades six to 12. It took teachers, and the seniors, more than three hours to clean up the mess before anyone could enter the building.

 

Pearson said he fears the stunt turned off prospective students, which will cut into much-needed revenue for the school with a student body of 135 pupils.

 

But some parents and students said the punishment was too harsh.

 

"We thought it was funny. I still think it's funny," said senior Dottie Jo Thomas, who was involved in the class prank.

 

"They're supposed to be Christians and forgive, but they're not acting like that," said Deborah Clark, a mother of one of the seniors.

 

She bought the Crisco the seniors smeared on doorknobs. "It was just a joke."

Lame.

 

Let the kids graduate. Senior pranks now merit a cancelled graduation? What has the world come to?

The overreaction on the part of the administration will turn prospective students. These were minor harmless pranks. There are times when you let kids be kids.

What Would Jesus Do?

 

...over-react, apparently...

Lame.

 

Let the kids graduate.  Senior pranks now merit a cancelled graduation?  What has the world come to?

 

When I graduated HS (1994 from an all girls Catholic HS), we were told a couple months in advance that if there were any pranks, graduation would be canceled for all.

When I graduated HS (1994 from an all girls Catholic HS), we were told a couple months in advance that if there were any pranks, graduation would be canceled for all.

 

Where did you go, I Hate Men?

Where did you go, I Hate Men?

 

Maria. Sad thing is that school is probably closer to closing down than I would care to admit.

 

Honestly, I had a great experience going to an all girls school.

Maria.  Sad thing is that school is probably closer to closing down than I would care to admit.

 

Honestly, I had a great experience going to an all girls school.

 

Never heard of it...I was curious cause I also graduated in '94. I went to Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park.

Maria.  Sad thing is that school is probably closer to closing down than I would care to admit.

 

Honestly, I had a great experience going to an all girls school.

 

Damn. I was going to guess you were a Mighty Mac. They threaten that every year.

Damn. I was going to guess you were a Mighty Mac. They threaten that every year.

 

:puke (live a few blocks from there, but definitely did not attend)

I figured that would be your response.

I think Maria closed down. At least I heard they were and that all the students that were going there would be transferred to De La Salle(that's alot of girls since Lourdes High School shut down and the girls were also transferred to De La Salle). Anyway, yeah, I understand the punishment. I probably would've done the same thing. Ask Kornheiser and Wilbon say, "Prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law"

Senoirs at my school let 7 little chickens loose in the commons and they were numbered 1 though 7 and i had a diffenet number on the bottom of their feet that if you put em together it gave the phone number of the guy who they stole the chickens from.

I think Maria closed down. At least I heard they were and that all the students that were going there would be transferred to De La Salle(that's alot of girls since Lourdes High School shut down and the girls were also transferred to De La Salle). Anyway, yeah, I understand the punishment. I probably would've done the same thing. Ask Kornheiser and Wilbon say, "Prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law"

 

As far as I know Maria is still open. Maria High School Webpage

I think Maria closed down. At least I heard they were and that all the students that were going there would be transferred to De La Salle(that's alot of girls since Lourdes High School shut down and the girls were also transferred to De La Salle). Anyway, yeah, I understand the punishment. I probably would've done the same thing. Ask Kornheiser and Wilbon say, "Prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law"

 

DE LA SALLE INSTITUTE

 

I missed out on the girls school...

Crisco, plastic wrap, and boards, and aparently a few chairs too.

 

Un-f***in-believable. These are completely harmless. What the f***.

 

:fyou administration

 

 

Now, continue on with your discussion

In the wee early morning hours last Thursday, seven of the school's eight seniors sneaked into the school and pulled off their prank, thinking it wouldn't be a big deal. Using shaving cream, they signed their work "Senior Class of 2005," put up a poster that read "We love you, Mr. Pearson," and left a note saying they wouldn't be at school that day.

 

Wow, what a big senior class.

I can't imagine what HS life woulda been like without there being girls at the school with me. Surrounded by other guys for like 7 hours a day? f*** that.

I can't imagine what HS life woulda been like without there being girls at the school with me. Surrounded by other guys for like 7 hours a day?  f*** that.

It's not so bad. Defiantly a lot funner when you don't have guys trying to act different around girls around.

I can't imagine what HS life woulda been like without there being girls at the school with me. Surrounded by other guys for like 7 hours a day?  f*** that.

 

It's not a problem.

I don't believe you.

girls around vs. no girls around? No contest.

I don't believe you.

girls around vs. no girls around? No contest.

 

There are pros and cons, of course...

 

You originally stated that you could not imagine how it was. There are many people, especially here in Chicago, that went to Catholic high schools. I'm one of them. Would I have preferred girls in school? Sure. Was it hell without them? Nope.

 

You're going to hang out with girls in your neighborhood and meet Catholic high school girls outside of school too...

 

Damn, those Maria, Q of P, Four Floors of Lourdes, and Mac girls...

Wow, what a big senior class.

 

Senior #8 must be f***in pissed. And probably the valedictorian too.

That's total bulls*** that they cancelled graduation for that stuff. I guess it was just some really bad timing to pull those pranks, and that's what set the administration off. Also probably not smart since there was a very small graduating class, making it easier to single out suspects. I went to Fenwick, which is a private Catholic co-ed high school, and we got away with a lot of similar stuff. Our graduating class was about 200 people though. We put maple syrup on all of the banisters on the stairway (worked because they were brown), vasoline on door handles and toilet flush handles, released some small animals (think it was two chickens and a pig) in the gym, and released a couple hundred crickets in the auditorium. The last one was particularly fun. I had a study hall first period which met in the auditorium balcony, where most of them were. The teacher didn't know what to do, so she told us to stomp on them if we found them. That was pretty fun for a while before she figured out the errors in her ways. I feel sorry for the maintenance staff on that one.

My cousin is a junior at Fenwick (one of their best runners).