Smartest Seniors Get Away with Swing Set Prank
Another mischievous Valedictorian! Good work guys.
Link to an older video that may or may nor work. This clip is from before their sentences were appealed.
Students Build Swing Set On Brookfield East Roof
Students Will Get To Participate In Graduation Ceremony
June 5, 2009 | WISN.com
Elmbrook administrators suspended six Brookfield East seniors this week after police ticketed them for erecting a swing set on the school’s roof.
Early Friday night, the superintendent and the prinicipal changed their minds and decided the students will get to participate in the graduation ceremony on Saturday in spite of their suspension.
Nate Hoaglund, Zachary Domach and Alexander Holiday are among the academic cream of the crop at Brookfield East, 12 News reporter Colleen Henry said.
“Out of the six of us we had ranks, 1, 2, 5, 10,” Domach said.
Originally the district told them and three of their friends they couldn’t participate in Saturday’s graduation because they were the masterminds of this year’s senior prank.
“We didn’t want anything that would disrupt education or cost the school district money — something that would just basically be harmful,” Domach said.
“We decided we would assemble a swing set on top of the school roof,” Holiday said.
The guys said their prank was designed to send their schoolmates a message.
“We picked it because it wasn’t harmful or anything, and it was also supposed to show people that you can do pranks without damaging property or hurting anyone,” Hoaglund said.
Early Wednesday morning, police found the teenagers on the school roof assembling the $230 swing set they bought for the occasion.
School administrators wanted to send their own message.
“Kids are kids. Rules are rules. You don’t make a separate set of rules for the top of the class. If anything, they have more responsibility to set a good example for the others,” Elmbrook School Superintendent Matt Gibson said.
The district suspended the six for three days, which had included graduation. Holiday was the class valedictorian.
“They just had to delete him from the program entirely,” Hoaglund said.
“What were you going to say in your speech?” Henry asked.
“I was going to talk about, well, I don’t think I can discuss that because there’s still a slight possibility that I might be able to use that,” Holiday said.
The boys’ parents appealed the decision, and the students offered alternatives, such as community service or janitorial work at the school.
“None of us thinks that our actions should go unpunished, but we would advocate for a punishment that suits the prank,” Holiday said.
The students have July court dates where they face $290 fines for prowling.
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290 bucks for prowling, GEEZ! You could be 30 over the speed limit or tailgate and pay less.
As of the article they hadn’t had their hearing yet, so they may not have to pay it. But they are for sure out the $230 for the swing set.