OPINION: Vandalism isn’t a senior prank

Caroline Brandes, Editor-in-Chief|May 23, 2023

(Editor’s note: Caroline Brandes is editor in chief of The Saber.  Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of The Saber staff.)

This past year, RNE had several pep rallies. At some of these events, the coordinators would bring out the “spirit stick.” Whichever grade level cheered the loudest would get the honor of having the stick for the rest of the school year. I don’t remember who won this year, maybe the juniors? What I do remember is sitting in the bleachers, surrounded by other freshmen. Looking around, it was painfully obvious that no one cared. The apathy was almost suffocating. I think I even heard someone boo. The school spirit, or lack thereof, could not be more obviously stated. 

Wait, I think I spoke too soon…

On May 15 several students entered the school in order to pull a “senior prank.”

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The intentions seemed innocent enough at first, with participants carrying toilet paper and balloons. However, it quickly went downhill.

The intentions seemed innocent enough at first, with participants carrying toilet paper and balloons. However, it quickly went downhill.

The next day, rumors, albeit hearsay, included knocked down trash cans and general mayhem. Clips of the night were posted online to various social media platforms. Some have been saying that several school staff members stayed into the early morning hours cleaning, and disciplinary action was taken against many of the students involved.

The fact of the matter is that it wasn’t a senior prank.

As far as I can tell, a senior prank should have three essential elements: it should be creative, funny, and relatively harmless.

That last one is a biggie. Covering a teacher’s classroom in tinfoil— creative, extremely annoying, but easy to clean and no lasting damage. Bonus points if the students help the teacher take it down. Seniors having a “drive anything but a car” event (i.e. tractor, portable boat, horse)— very funny, very creative, and very harmless (though it might pose a bit of a distraction).

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As far as I can tell, a senior prank should have three essential elements: it should be creative, funny, and relatively harmless.

This year’s senior prank did not check a single box.

I’m sure some chuckles were had at the moment, but no one was laughing the next day when suspensions started rolling out.

I just can’t wrap my head around how knocking down trash cans, or throwing school bought toilet paper everywhere counts as a prank.

Really?

In all of your 18-year-old wisdom, that’s the best you can come up with? 

In short, it wasn’t a prank. It was a stupid act of vandalism. Students entered the building, and did not feel a single spark of school spirit. Whether warranted or not, they didn’t feel respect for the building that they had spent the last four years in. Instead, they felt the need to destroy and desecrate without regard to any potential consequences. If you so clearly don’t care about your school, why bother even using the guise of a prank?

 It’s sad, and frankly pathetic.