Students face felony charges for attempted Senior Prank. Is this taking things too far?

Senior Prank Leads to 21 Arrests in Lockland

Hi all.

See the article above. This school is in my area and I just found out about this.

Information is still coming out about this, but unless the story changes a lot, I think the police are taking things too far, and that this whole situation could be handled a little differently.

What do you all think?

About 1/4 of the Lockland High School, senior class was arrested Thursday night for what is being called felony breaking and entering. Lockland High School is located right outside of Cincinnati, Ohio.

The seniors involved had planned to place books from the school library in the hallways as a senior prank. Other senior classes at the school had done similar stunts, such as moving desks around in the school and "decorating" the school gym with toilet paper.

The difference between these past pranks, and this current attempted prank?

Past pranks were accomplished with the help of teachers who let the kids into the school early. This prank involved a large group of at least 21 people, maybe more. A group whose large numbers could not have been hidden. This would have been both white and black kids. They were dressed in black and several had their faces covered. As I understand it, the kids had a key they were using or going to use to enter the school.

This is a very small school, in a very small community where a lot of the people know each other. The school has a pretty even mix of black and white students, some of whom are very low income. For the most part the students get along pretty good with each other, and there is not really any crime or violence taking place in the school in an ongoing fashion. The area is not really an area with a lot of crime, although another area close by is. The police station is right down the street from the school. As I said, a lot of the people know each other and the police are probably pretty familiar with any kids that are routine troublemakers if any are.

I personally know some of these kids myself, and I would say they are good kids that do not cause trouble. A lot of these kids are involved in several different sports, band, and community service projects, such as volunteering to help out with the Special Olympics the community hosted just last week.

I would say they had no idea that this would ever be a problem when they were planning to do this. It probably didn't even cross their minds that this might not be a good idea, because a lot of these kids have parents that are very involved in the school, and a lot of the kids think of the school as kind of like a second home, in a way. I think the fact that they had a key (although I have no idea where they got it) probably made them think no one would take what they were planning to do the wrong way.

The prank went terribly wrong, and what should have been a light hearted laugh with the seniors putting all the books back the next day, has turned into a terrible disaster which could change these kids lives forever.

When I heard about this I thought about the fact that kids don't always think of the worst case scenario in a situation like this. Maybe they used poor judgment, but should their lives possibly be ruined, when really, no harm was done?

I really think the whole situation has been taken too far. Can't the adults in charge think back to their own teenage days and cut these kids some slack, especially now that the situation has been explained a little?

Do you guys think the situation was handled in the right way?

Please let me know your thoughts on this. Was the initial response the right one? What do you think should have been done, or what would you have done?

I'm going to be busy for a little while but will check back when I can.

Thanks, and God bless.



sezsue





[edit on 14-5-2010 by sezsue]

reply to post by sezsue


"Unfortunately, they were in school after hours, they did not have permission to be in there," he said. "Officers have to charge by what the law says, and the law says it's breaking and entering."

They broke the law and while they had good intentions, they will pay the penalty.

Unless it turns out they got the key from the principal it looks like they are going to get into trouble. They won't get a felony it will be pleaded down to a misdomenor most likely so this won't go to trial.

Common sense dictates that the kids should get a slap on the wrist, but are we missing something? Is it possible the kids intended a prank that was not relatively harmless? Is it possible the kids intended a prank that was dangerous or would cause a large amount of damage?

reply to post by sezsue


I am from cincy to, we use to ply lockland in every freaking sport... Senior pranks are things everyone does, even the catholic schools such asRoger Bacon do them. But from what I can see from the article it is BS that they can face felony charges... Total BS.

Our Senior prank was similar to that the police of course came, but they pulld there own prank on us, but i tilled scared the crap out of us, the wrld has changed in 10 years and not for the better

reply to post by sezsue


I agree with you, it was a huge overreaction. I also agree the police had to do what they had to do.

Senior pranks happen everywhere, all the time - and sometimes the police do nothing, sometimes they feel compelled to arrest. It usually ends up in huge court expenses and embarrassment to the family and the school and police, as well. I would go so far as to guess they will plea it down, or even get it thrown out, but that doesn't stop it from becoming a burden to all involved.

As with any crime, "intnt" has to be proved. Not sure how far along they got with the prank, but a good attorney can probably handle it. The worst case scenario would be if they had to miss graduation, or were somehow not allowed to graduate.

The world is changing, and what was once deemed a harmless prank can be seen as something far more damning, especially considering the way they were dressed. Not saying it is right, but that's just the way it is.

I went to a couple different highschools. One had a lovely courtyard in the center of a rectangular building. On a Sunday night just prior to graduation, the seniors stole the car of the principal, a blue Volkswagen.

They disassembled it to a large degree, and then somehow they hoisted the car and parts over the building and lowered it into the courtyard. They reassembled it just in time for school to start Monday morning, when we were all blessed with seeing the principals car, large and proud, in the center of the courtyard.

In the end, they simply made them put the car back where it belonged. They got in "trouble", but not arrested, and most found it to be not only humerous, but rather creative. Even the principal had a laugh out of it.

I think the article gets it right when the mom says "There will be some trouble at home" which is well where it should be.

What better gift to your graduating class than a felony on all of their permanent records?

I'm sure their lives will be so much easier from now on...

Could the school not just drop charges? Seems like they're setting themselves up to get burnt down.

[edit on 14-5-2010 by alaskan]

reply to post by alaskan


Some groups of people at school deserve to have these things, its there victims that usually pay all there lifes for scum with teachers organizing sh1t.

reply to post by alaskan

Probably not.

Once someone is arrested it becomes the State vs., and the school probably has no say in the matter. Felonies go to state level, so it will sadly be up to the judge and attorneys to work this one out.

Now, the school could sure make a statement to the matter, but that remains to be seen.

Is Eugene Tackleberry the police chief in that town? Even Sheriff Joe would not prosecute those kids.

The dozen or so 18 year old students are still sitting in jail. No bail allowed. WTF?
They will be arrainged in court Saturday morning.

My opinion is the police overreacted to the prank.

I kind of hope they don't plea it out and get a jury trial. No jury in the world would convict these kids.

It's sad when our kids can't make it to real adulthood (not 18) without a record because of the way the world has become.

Rules, rules, everywhere rules. Do this, don't do that, can't you read the signs......