3 Volunteer High School Seniors Banned From Graduation After Water Balloon Fight
A Tri-Cities High School banned three seniors from commencement ceremonies after the students were caught throwing water balloons at school.
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By Rebecca Berry
News Channel 11 Producer
Published: May 22, 2008
Three Tri-Cities High school students won’t walk across the stage and graduate with their classmates.
The three Volunteer High School students were caught on camera throwing water balloons at school.
The school principal told us the students weren’t just throwing them at each other, they were aiming the balloons at teachers.
The school has banned the students from commencement ceremonies, but they will be able to pick up their diplomas at a later date.
Find out why the principal thinks the punishment fits the crime tonight at 6.
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( ms.moody ) on May 23, 2008 at 10:06 am
I think the decision to not let the boys attend the graduation cermony is ridiculious. Is this the only punishment that the boys can get since they are getting ready to graduate? This is a one time thing,to walk across the stage with their classmates. We all make mistakes throughout life & we all know how exciting it is to finally graduate high school. I don’t think this opportunity should be taken away from them. The statement the principal made about it would’ve been ok to hit other students with the water balloons is crazy. They are people too & deserve respect just like the teachers. Just out of curiosity, are the students allowed to have such stuff in the high school? It sounds like it was ok, but to hit the teachers was the problem. I don’t understand.
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Posted by ( Myra ) on May 23, 2008 at 9:37 am
Mom of 2 boys - to answer your question - I work in an Auto Accessory warehouse. I am the office manager. We have never had an HR Complaint - We all get along - everything runs smooth. Sales are out the roof! Guess what… we can still get our work done - have a lot of fun.. morale is a big thing at work. Fun is just one of the many perks here at work. Maybe you should try having a little fun at your work place?? Laughter is free! Doesn’t cost a dime..the only time there is an issue is when you run into the “I can’t smile or have fun at work” person..anyway - punish the students some other way - detention- Saturday School- but do not take the graduation ceremony from the young adults.
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Posted by ( lisa ) on May 23, 2008 at 8:36 am
Parents, Be warned! The safty of your children may not viewed as important as the safty of the teachers. Of course, a little water never hurt anyone, so it seems to be a matter of the teachers feeling disrespected and their pride being hurt. No wonder this school system has such a high drop-out rate. Parents with children in this school system might ought to consider home schooling their kids or sending them to a private school.
True, such behavior is not allowed in the work force. However, one can find other jobs, but only gets one highschool geaduation.
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Posted by ( Jim W ) on May 22, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Mr Dykes has the authority to make the decision he made, however, I have a right to disagree since I am looking at the situation as an outsider. If the teachers were victims in the line of fire, that does not make this an assault. Being a retired supervisor, it is easy to make snap decisions but maybe Mr Dykes will rethink and allow the students to join their classmates for this long awaited special moment in their lives. I’m thankful this wasn’t a massacre and would suggest some type of punishment to require the students to mow the teacher’s yards or some other restitution during the summer (if they are that upset). I am not aware of any football coach banning a player to play football when they get the barrel of Gatorade at the end of a game. Life is nothing but choices so if the decision is not changed, the students need to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and move on making this a learning experience. All of us need to think about consequences before we act.
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Posted by ( wteverett ) on May 22, 2008 at 11:29 pm
the school needs to get a life and brake away from their prudish actions this is some of the antics that would have gone on during my years in high school (1961-1966) this is healthy tomfoolery and should not be punished in this fashion
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Posted by ( lisa ) on May 22, 2008 at 10:14 pm
They should be corrected, but not being allowed to participate in their graduation is a bit harsh. One impuslive act should not discount twelve years of hard work in a day when so many do not finish school. The human brain often does not fully develop before the early twenties. If throwing liquids on an indvidual is truely an act of violence, adults at funfest should not be allowed to threw water in the name of a good time. Of course, one wonders if these youth were members of the school’s “out-group” causing the staff to be out for revenge.
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Posted by ( jeff ) on May 22, 2008 at 7:53 pm
This has got to be a joke. It’s no wonder the dropout rate is up. The principal needs to get back to his youth.
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Posted by ( Ben ) on May 22, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Only way we can start sending a message is by standing up to the kind of communism treatement we get from the upper people with power of authority. Parents need to stand up and take a stand against this ignorant principal. Protest the graduation. We as Americans have no back bone anymore. We want conveience and we are too lazy to stand up to things we believe in. Protest this graduation. Do it for these hard working kids that got in trouble. It was only a prank. Not like they were doing anything bad. A little disrespectful maybe but nothing bad at all. I encourage all of the parents of that high school to protest. Do something. Anything. JUst show the school board and principal you mean business. Thank you. And God Bless the bad ole USA
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Posted by ( JOYC ) on May 22, 2008 at 7:17 pm
I think this is rediculous. This is the kids senior year, and the last week of school. Students always wants to come up with great pranks and cool ways to go out in style before graduation. I’m not saying the students are justified for what they did, and they should be punished. However this punishment does not fit the crime. You go to school for 13 years. This is the one big day that you look forward to all you life. And by know means should the school principal be aloud to take this away from the students. Make them go to summer school or do some kind of community service this summer, but give them back GRADUATION! By taking graduation day away you are punishing their families and friends. If I was graduating with this class as a student I would protest this by getting the whole class of 2008 to ban going to graduation. You can hold your own graduation. Remember what it is like being that age.
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Posted by ( Breallison ) on May 22, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Water balloons? Well, that really doesn’t surprise me. That is awesome. I am currently enrolled in school to become an educator. I HATE IT!!! This is the main reason. There is entirely too many politics, codes, personality problems, and people who have forgotten what it was like to be a child. I love to work with children. I work with our youth and children at our church and they have so much discipline issues they are afraid to speak to each other in the hall. I agree with another poster, why not allow these children to have their moment to shine. Think of things we did while growing up. I remember our last week of school was fun, especially our Senior year. We made it, it was something that was looked upon as a major rite of passage. I think too many time adults forget how we made it to where we are. I do agree that to aim at the teachers was probably not their best move, BUT did it hit them?? If not, where’s the harm? Punish them with a detention, or a day of ISS or OSS, why take their glory away? I hope that educators in todays schools can see how they are harming those who want to become educators in the future by showing how money and power has gone to their heads! Best wishes to those graduates! Prayers from our family are with you!
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