About school pranks

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NA for this thread

I am kind of curious. I am 54 years old and back when I was in high school, some 35-40 years ago pranks were not taken quite so seriously/negatively as they seem to be taken today.

In fact, senior pranks were expected the last week of school, and were treated by a great deal of amusement by the students, the teachers, the administration and even the police. The administration even did some mild "pranking" themselves. One such prank was to call the top students down to the office as if they were in serious trouble, and then to give them awards.

A traditional senior prank was to borrow every for sale sign that could be found in the area and plant them in front of the school one night during the last week of school. All of the realtors in the area expected it and simply were prepared to retrieve their signs that day. The year I graduated there were about 500 of them.

Another traditional "last day of school prank" was that everybody emptied their lockers into the hall (the trash) while the school speakers blared out the Alice Cooper hard rock song "School's out for the summer"...and the administration was obviously included in that.

The greased baby pig that got let into the school one year wasn't even treated as a major deal, everybody thought it was hilarious and the police did too. They decided to just let it run until it got tired and then lassoed it.

I know our principal expected his house to get TP-d at least once a semester, and never got worked up about it at all. In fact, I think he would have been disappointed if it didn't happen.

So, why are pranks treated so seriously now? What has changed? What is the difference in the dynamics?

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NA for this thread

I am kind of curious. I am 54 years old and back when I was in high school, some 35-40 years ago pranks were not taken quite so seriously/negatively as they seem to be taken today.

In fact, senior pranks were expected the last week of school, and were treated by a great deal of amusement by the students, the teachers, the administration and even the police. The administration even did some mild "pranking" themselves. One such prank was to call the top students down to the office as if they were in serious trouble, and then to give them awards.

A traditional senior prank was to borrow every for sale sign that could be found in the area and plant them in front of the school one night during the last week of school. All of the realtors in the area expected it and simply were prepared to retrieve their signs that day. The year I graduated there were about 500 of them.

Another traditional "last day of school prank" was that everybody emptied their lockers into the hall (the trash) while the school speakers blared out the Alice Cooper hard rock song "School's out for the summer"...and the administration was obviously included in that.

The greased baby pig that got let into the school one year wasn't even treated as a major deal, everybody thought it was hilarious and the police did too. They decided to just let it run until it got tired and then lassoed it.

I know our principal expected his house to get TP-d at least once a semester, and never got worked up about it at all. In fact, I think he would have been disappointed if it didn't happen.

So, why are pranks treated so seriously now? What has changed? What is the difference in the dynamics?

40 years ago parents weren't so intent on suing right, left and center.

We've become so litigious - dangerously so in my opinion - that every tiny affront against a person is considered lawsuit-worthy.

Hence schools are going with CYA and zero tolerance. Can't blame 'em, really.

 

[cbg]

I am exactly the same age you are, LdiJ, and the school I went to did not allow any pranking whatsoever. Senior skip day was about the only prank of any kind that administration took no action against, and even for that it was made clear that the administration did not approve.

Maybe it's regional?

 

[CourtClerk]

That, that you've described are a bunch of snoozes.

Today's pranks end up with thousands of dollars in damage and insurance claims. Steal the for sale signs??? That's not a prank, that's an irritant.

 

[CdwJava]

I am kind of curious. I am 54 years old and back when I was in high school, some 35-40 years ago pranks were not taken quite so seriously/negatively as they seem to be taken today.

As mentioned we are an overly litigious society. If one child got injured and the school was seen as complicit, the school district would be paying out a lot of money.

A traditional senior prank was to borrow every for sale sign that could be found in the area and plant them in front of the school one night during the last week of school. All of the realtors in the area expected it and simply were prepared to retrieve their signs that day. The year I graduated there were about 500 of them.

Today, this would likely be reported as theft. Those signs cost money, and many realtors do not have the time or the inclination to come to the local high school to retrieve them.

Another traditional "last day of school prank" was that everybody emptied their lockers into the hall (the trash) while the school speakers blared out the Alice Cooper hard rock song "School's out for the summer"...and the administration was obviously included in that.

Littering, potentially causing an obstruction for employees and students in the hallway, noisy ... if someone tripped or got hurt by the debris or the actions, they could sue the school. Not to mention the custodian who has to clean that mess up might decide that it is a union issue and the school should hire additional staff for the cleanup (thereby adding costs to already strapped school budgets).

The greased baby pig that got let into the school one year wasn't even treated as a major deal, everybody thought it was hilarious and the police did too. They decided to just let it run until it got tired and then lassoed it.

Also a great potential for injury. I live in a rural community and this sort of thing has been brought up a lot. But, with the possibility of damage or injury to the animal or students, it has been nixed.

I know our principal expected his house to get TP-d at least once a semester, and never got worked up about it at all. In fact, I think he would have been disappointed if it didn't happen.

That still happens ... on occasion.

So, why are pranks treated so seriously now? What has changed? What is the difference in the dynamics?

The great "L" word: Liability.

 

[justalayman]

A traditional senior prank was to borrow every for sale sign that could be found in the area and plant them in front of the school one night during the last week of school.

we did that too

All of the realtors in the area expected it and simply were prepared to retrieve their signs that day. The year I graduated there were about 500 of them.

I don't think the realty companies in my area were as accepting as those in your area. If I remember correctly, the police were called to report the theft but it was nice they knew where to get their signs.

The greased baby pig that got let into the school one year wasn't even treated as a major deal, everybody thought it was hilarious and the police did too. They decided to just let it run until it got tired and then lassoed it.

the pig wasn't a big deal but the chicks were, especially after a few were killed under suspicious circumstances

So, why are pranks treated so seriously now? What has changed? What is the difference in the dynamics?

Life is different. When younger, I could leave my door unlocked or the keys in the car without fear of a problem. Heck, there was a time where I actually did not have a door on my house for nearly a week while repairing the frame that was weather damaged. No problem but today..

not a chance.

the world is not the same place now as it was when we were young (I'm about the same age as you). We didn't have meth and thought Mexico was an interesting place to consider seeing and didn't worry about losing your head while there. You could walk down the street at midnight and not fear being accosted by some kid or some junkie looking for money for a fix.

the world has simply changed. It is no longer the world of our childhood.

I miss my world.

 

[Humusluvr]

That, that you've described are a bunch of snoozes.

Today's pranks end up with thousands of dollars in damage and insurance claims. Steal the for sale signs??? That's not a prank, that's an irritant.

Here, we are seeing kids "pranks" becoming extremely damaging. They destroy property. They cause thousands in damage.

What has changed is that kids don't respect property, or authority. They do things that get people hurt or worse.

Stop-sign prank turns deadly, is traced to pair via Facebook | The Columbus Dispatch

 

[jchasex]

the pig wasn't a big deal but the chicks were, especially after a few were killed under suspicious circumstances

.....??.....Dexter?

 

[jchasex]

People getting too uptight's the problem...

 

[Humusluvr]

People getting too uptight's the problem...

give them an inch, and they'll take a mile, as the story goes.

Kids make bad decisions. Look at your thread.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

the pig wasn't a big deal but the chicks were, especially after a few were killed under suspicious circumstances

As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

 

[jchasex]

As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

Yeah, well I just hope he was talking about birds.

 

[justalayman]

As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

I love that episode. I usually hunt it up on the internet around this time of year just to watch it and chuckle.


btw: for those not aware: wild turkeys can fly, quite well in fact. Farmed turkeys have their wings clipped so they cannot fly (and escape the open pens). One of the most startling events I have ever faced while driving was having a big old turkey fly across about 10 feet from my windshield. At the time I had no idea what it was but dang was it big. Later realized that turkey fed in the field next to the road in that area and they were simply going home for the night after a day out having lunch/dinner.

 

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NA for this thread

I am kind of curious. I am 54 years old and back when I was in high school, some 35-40 years ago pranks were not taken quite so seriously/negatively as they seem to be taken today.

In fact, senior pranks were expected the last week of school, and were treated by a great deal of amusement by the students, the teachers, the administration and even the police. The administration even did some mild "pranking" themselves. One such prank was to call the top students down to the office as if they were in serious trouble, and then to give them awards.

A traditional senior prank was to borrow every for sale sign that could be found in the area and plant them in front of the school one night during the last week of school. All of the realtors in the area expected it and simply were prepared to retrieve their signs that day. The year I graduated there were about 500 of them.

Another traditional "last day of school prank" was that everybody emptied their lockers into the hall (the trash) while the school speakers blared out the Alice Cooper hard rock song "School's out for the summer"...and the administration was obviously included in that.

The greased baby pig that got let into the school one year wasn't even treated as a major deal, everybody thought it was hilarious and the police did too. They decided to just let it run until it got tired and then lassoed it.

I know our principal expected his house to get TP-d at least once a semester, and never got worked up about it at all. In fact, I think he would have been disappointed if it didn't happen.

So, why are pranks treated so seriously now? What has changed? What is the difference in the dynamics?

The town where my eldest lived had just built a new $19,000.000.00 High School. The very first graduating class (of the new HS) decided to play some pranks. The superglued locks, dumped some kind of crap in the indoor pool, wrote a message in the grass of the FB field, ...Caused 30,000.00 worth of damage. ...The School Comm decided that there would be NO formal graduation untill the damage was repaired. Kids got together and "donated" the funds to fix the damage. Likely the kids who paid were not the ones to cause the damage...but as no one would "rat" or admitt to this... Oh well.

To your point...The difference in dynamics? Kids have a whole different threshold to what they consider "fun".

 

[Humusluvr]

I'm telling you, it's the whole entitlement era and these millenials. They don't respect property, and they are much more prone to antics than earlier generations. Many treat their school and their teachers as "My parents pay taxes, so I own this school and I employ these teachers. So they better give me what I'm entitled to, and otherwise - BACK OFF." Everything is ME ME ME, My Facebook, my phone, my rights, my stuff - no respect for other people's stuff.

And so the pranks become bigger and wilder, and someone gets hurt, and property gets destroyed, and they don't care. They might even hope to get a reality show out of it......