Kids punished for riding their bikes to school

[yellowbrkrd]

This happened in my area and people are outraged.

www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kent_county/Kenowa-Hills-bike-ride


As high school seniors get set to walk commencement, toilets are exploding, lockers are getting graffitied and doors are getting super-glued.

The vandalism is part of the tradition known as senior pranks.

But a decision by Kenowa Hills seniors to do something a lot less harmful has drawn the ire of their principal.

The plan was to hold a bike parade as a nice, non-destructive, healthy senior prank.

Seniors called police for an escort, and even called Walker's mayor, who rode in the parade.

"Police escort, with the mayor, who brought us donuts. ...The mayor brought us donuts..." said a group of seniors following the ride.

But school official weren't told in advance, hence the word prank, and were not happy with the event.

They kicked the seniors out of school for their last day and threatened to keep them from walking in graduation ceremonies set for May 30.

Cellphone video caught audio of principal Katie Pennington in a post-prank gathering in the school's performing arts center.

"...Get your butts home. You're not participating in senior walk today."

About 60 seniors got the day off and missed the traditional last walk through the hallways at Kenowa Hills, although students say many more seniors got the one-day suspensions.

It all began when seniors decided to do something original that wouldn't hurt anything for a senior prank.

So they arranged the parade, which followed Kinney Avenue to Three Mile Road to Fruit Ridge Avenue to Four Mile Road to the school, complete with a police escort.

But when they arrived at the school, Principal Katie Pennington went off on students.

She claims the parade backed up traffic for two miles, kept buses and staff from reaching school on time and put students in danger.

"If you and your parents don't have sense enough to know your brains could end up splattered on Three Mile and Kinney, Fruit Ridge, then maybe that's my responsibility," she is heard telling students on the cellphone video obtained by 24 Hour News 8.

Mayor Rob VerHeulen was in the police car escorting the kids and says the officer wasn't concerned about a backup, or the bike riders' safety.

Kenowa Hills Superintendent Gerald Hopkins admitted to 24 Hour News 8 the reaction and punishment from school officials was as much showing them who's in charge as it was reacting to problems they claim were caused by the prank.

"It's a combination…certainly a combination of both," said Hopkins.

"Because of its nature on the last day for seniors to be here it is certainly being classified as a prank...and the communication to the students were pranks won't be tolerated and there will be consequences for those pranks."

School officials have since backed off on the threat of keeping the seniors involved from walking in graduation next week. The senior walk though has been rescheduled for May 30.

Later Tuesday, students and community members packed a school board meeting -- originally scheduled as a routine work session -- with words of outrage regarding Pennington's reaction.

[Deleted]

Her reaction was over the top and not appropriate.

It isn't as though they let pigs run through the halls of the school or put a cow on the roof. (my public high school)

[yellowbrkrd]

I agree, it's ridiculous. They had a police escort and the mayor took part in it. The school claims they were worried about safety and they should have known about it. I'm not sure how much more safe you can get than a police escort. And it was well before school started, so I'm unclear how they have any say in it. When I was working in a school my principal's hands were usually tied if it happened before/after school.

[dexteroni]

What a terrible response from the principal. Her students put together a large event safely and responsibly, and this is her reaction? It really makes her look bad.

[ssmjlm]

For once teens decided to do something that won't harm anyone and the principal still punishes them.

What kind of message does that send to next year's class?

[crazygame]

I am from that area too and I find this ridiculous. I wonder what other effects that principal's power trip has on the school.

[pierogigirl]

As pranks go, that's a pretty well-intentioned one. If I were a parent I'd be pissed if my kid got into trouble for participating in a prank designed not to cause any harm, especially since it had the blessing of the mayor and the police.

When I was a senior one of the pranks was to line the lines of the parking lot with stale bagels from the local bagel place. As an unforeseen consequence, seagulls and other birds had a feast and shit all over all of the cars. I don't think anyone got in trouble, though.

[Deleted]

Katie Pennington sounds like a twit.

I googled her and it appears this was also her first year as principal at this school. Way to gain supporters...

[carfar]

Seems like this is not worth getting panties in a twist to me.
Couple years after I graduated they actually hacked the auto dialer to call everyone and tell them there was no classes.

[statlerwaldorf]

I think it was an overreaction. It was pretty smart of them to get a police escort.

[bronxgirl]

It's not just an overreaction, it's a completely inapropriate and non-sensical one. I still don't understand what she could legitimately be upset about or how anyone could consider this a prank. I hope he gets disciplined or at least ordered to apoogize.

[madladybride]

May 23, 2012 8:59:38 GMT -5 bronxgirl said:

It's not just an overreaction, it's a completely inapropriate and non-sensical one. I still don't understand what she could legitimately be upset about or how anyone could consider this a prank. I hope he gets disciplined or at least ordered to apoogize.

Well put, I completely agree

[yellowbrkrd]

May 23, 2012 8:59:38 GMT -5 bronxgirl said:

It's not just an overreaction, it's a completely inapropriate and non-sensical one. I still don't understand what she could legitimately be upset about or how anyone could consider this a prank. I hope he gets disciplined or at least ordered to apoogize.

Considering the superintendent backed her decision I doubt this will happen.

The kids have to come back and take their final exams, which means teachers probably have to work an extra day.... They did change their minds and decided to let the kids walk in graduation after the meeting last night.

It's just so stupid.

[audette]

Wow. As "pranks" go, this is pretty innocuous. I actually find it hard to even call it a prank, to be honest. A celebration? Parade? Sure. Heck - they even arranged a police escort and notified the mayor's office.


And as punishment, they wouldn't let the students in to write their final exams, thereby making the kids (and the teachers!) come in another day to finish things up? Dumb. Beyond rediculous.

If I was a parent, I'd be livid. Hopefully the press makes the school board realize what a dumb move this was on the part of the principle. It makes her look like a power tripping pencil pusher.

[grk2012]

I'm in this area, too. Major overreaction by the principal! We wonder if she'll be there next year...

[missajane]

My ONLY concern, as an avid cycling supporter, was that these kids didn't have helmets during their ride (from the photo that went with the news report). Even at slow speeds a crash can cause head injuries.

Now stepping off my soap box , I think someone's parent or one of the students needs to fight back against this after graduation to get an apology. The superintendent and the principal are complete idiots who overreacted and made a mockery of not just these students but the cycling community in general. Shame on them.

[definitelyO]

thta's BS. and the mayor was supportive? someone needs to get a dose of common sense.

[aurora]

There has got to be more to this story, given the Superintendent backing the Principal. Otherwise, the reaction just doesn't make sense.

[aspentosh]

May 23, 2012 7:42:54 GMT -5 dexteroni said:

What a terrible response from the principal. Her students put together a large event safely and responsibly, and this is her reaction? It really makes her look bad.

Agreed. She has no idea how easy she had it with that as a "prank".

[MadamePresident]

Those are great students! I think a parade is a perfectly appropriate way to celebrate a special event like highschool graduation. They even have smart students who think to get a police escort and local celebrities. If I were a college, I'd want the student who organized it coming to my school.

[sillygoosegirl]

So let me get this straight, they did something that wasn't destructive and wasn't illegal. They did it outside of school hours and outside of school grounds, with the blessing of the mayor and the police. WTF is this principal's problem? She should be fired.

[spiderspray]

May 23, 2012 11:31:10 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

So let me get this straight, they did something that wasn't destructive and wasn't illegal. They did it outside of school hours and outside of school grounds, with the blessing of the mayor and the police. WTF is this principal's problem? She should be fired.

I mostly agree, although I wouldn't be calling for her job just yet. I would, however, be calling for an apology. The freaking mayor was in the parade. The students had the sense to get a police escort. The principal was clearly trying to flex her new little muscles and it makes her look like an ass.

[mrsjuleshs]

Holy over reaction!

[Nonny]

Yeah, total overreaction on the part of the principle and very dumb of the superintendent. This was an amusing, harmless, and mildly clever prank that they even had the foresight to get the city to sanction with the mayor's participation and the police escort. As far as pranks go, this one falls high on the enjoyment scale and low on the asshole scale, which I think is pretty good balance for a senior prank.

[Jenniatonu]

Just an update: She apologized. And still backs up her reasoning was for their safety and backing up traffic. www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/05/kenowa_hills_principal_apologi.html#incart_river_default

[UMaineTeach]

public road, with police and political endorsement. The school has no say if traffic is backed up - that's on the PD and the Mayor's office.