Students at a Texas high school took a prank further than administrators at the school expected, causing thousands of dollars in damages that they’ll have to pay for themselves.
The prank was pulled by students on Wednesday evening on the 300,000-square-foot Memorial High School campus in Frisco, Texas, said Meghan Cone, assistant communications director for the Frisco Independent School District.
According to the district, some of the school’s seniors asked for permission to do a senior prank, and it was approved. But administrators thought the students would just put Post-it notes on the school’s walls around campus.
“There were not specific instructions or parameters for the messages,” Cone told USA TODAY. “However, they did need to be school appropriate.”
But that’s not all that happened.
The walls were painted, furniture was destroyed and fire extinguishers were set off. Now, every surface of the campus needs to be cleaned, including the walls, ceilings and floors, Cone said.
More senior pranks: Even the police think this Wisconsin high school’s senior prank is ‘one of the best’
Criminal charges against students: ‘Devious licks’ challenge on TikTok leads to criminal charges against students across US
School was also canceled Thursday and Friday because the discharge from the fire extinguishers in the air triggered the fire alarm and alerted the city’s fire and police departments.
“There was not a fire, and no students were treated at the scene,” Cone said. “Police officers supported school staff in dispersing the group of students.”
Both Thursday and Friday were planned half-days for students since the last day of school is Friday, Cone said. Memorial High School students won’t have to make up those days.
Heather Albuquerque, the school’s principal, sent a letter to families and staff on Thursday thanking those who volunteered to helped clean up the campus. She called the students’ behavior vandalism and said that, while staff members were on site to monitor the students, “the situation devolved rapidly.”
Cone said school officials have not confirmed how many students were involved, but officials currently believe they’re all seniors. The district is working with the Frisco Police Department to identify the students and press charges, although Cone did not confirm what charges they could face.
“The students responsible will be asked to pay for the cost of clean up that falls outside the scope of the approved prank,” Cone said.
The district could limit students’ participation in upcoming graduation activities for violating their student code of conduct.
“It is the district’s practice that if a student causes damage to school district property, the student will not be permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies,” Cone said.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas and food.
Saleen Martin, sdmartin@usatoday.com, Twitter: @Saleen_Martin
COVID-19
Surviving The 2nd Wave of Corona
‘This too shall pass away’ this famous Persian adage seems to be defeating us again and again in the case of COVID-19. Despite every effort