Name: Chasidy Shrier

News Story 1: Senior Prank

A group of about 20 Seniors released balloons in the hallways. Principal Vinita Haygood
banned the seniors from the all-night Senior party in Park Place. Tuesday, April 14, parents and
seniors protested about the punishment in the School Board Meeting.

The seniors are hoping that the board members will see the punishment is too harsh and revert
the issue width standing it. Ruby Kanur was one of the few seniors who participated in the
prank. She stated that it wasn't a big deal. Hoping they will drop the punishment and take back
what is theirs.
“Our punishment is way too extreme,” says Kanur. “I think the board will listen to us. There are
so many bad Senior pranks out there.”

Last year's Senior prank, a group of unidentified students smeared Vaseline on the doorknobs
and locks of all the lockers. The seniors then thought the same things the seniors now do. But,
since the start of the new school year, Principal Haygood warned every senior she would not
put up with the pranks any longer. Making them face the punishment she believes is necessary
for the crime.
“I gave ample warnings to the senior class that I would not tolerate any sort of prank that
disrupted school,” says Principal Haygood. “Releasing more than 1,000 balloons between
classes did precisely that.”

But the parents of the students say otherwise. The parents believe the seniors have a right to do
it and shouldnt have a cruel and unusual punishment. Milly Kanur is the mother of Ruby Kanur
and she thought it was a harmless prank. Releasing empty balloons in the halls is a safe way to
celebrate the seniors' last year in highschool.
“When my daughter told me what they were doing, I thought it was cool,” Milly Kanur states.
“These kids worked hard for 12 years. They deserve a little fun.”

While the students and teachers agree, the principal is putting up a fight. She fears the pranks
will hurt or kill someone someday due to the type of materials the seniors use. Some have
allergic reactions to many different things, the students have to be careful of someone is going
to get hurt. Principal Vinita Haygood has reasons why the punishment should be put in order.
“Students were late to class because of the chaos created in the hallway,” said Principal
Haygood. “We were lucky that no student is allergic to latex. Last year, [there] were two.”

The teacher picked the principal's side in that manner. They believed it was too loud and
disruptive in the halls. Grace Killin is a math teacher and she spoke saying the balloons
should've been released at the end of the day. So it wouldn't cause so much disruption.
“The hallways were chaotic and super loud during the balloon release,” Killin explains. “The
seniors didn't mean any harm, but the prank was disruptive. Almost half of my class was late.”