4 Aliquippa seniors missing prom and graduation after prank
ALIQUIPPA, Pa. (KDKA) -- Four seniors at Aliquippa Junior Senior High School who pulled a sticky senior prank believe their punishment has gone too far. But school leaders argue the punishment is just enough, and now people in the community are at odds over what should happen.
Jason Harvey Sr., a father of one of the students involved, told KDKA-TV, "You disciplined him for it. And now you still want to discipline him again for it? It doesn't make too much sense to me."
Jason Harvey Jr. told KDKA-TV he and three others threw eggs and drizzled chocolate syrup, honey and ranch dressing on the exterior of the school building the night of May 10.
And although the school ended up needing a power washer to remove the mess, that next morning, when school leaders learned who made it, Harvey and another student were sent outside to at least try and clean it up.
But as they would later learn from the principal, their punishment had just begun.
"I offered community service for the whole summer. I offered to cut grass. There's a lot of stuff I offered to do. But they denied the offer," said Harvey Jr.
Harvey was suspended for three days, which made him miss the senior prom. And per the student handbook, any student involved in a senior prank is automatically banned from their graduation ceremony.
Harvey apologized and even delivered a speech at this week's school board meeting, begging to walk the graduation stage.
But Aliquippa Superintendent Dr. Phillip K. Woods said in the name of consistency, he is not making any exceptions to the rules.
"They came on campus after it was shut down. That's trespassing. They vandalized the school," Woods said, adding, "I didn't file any criminal charges. I didn't put any financial sanctions on them."
Harvey's family said they offered to reimburse the school for the power washer rental but the school is still not budging on allowing him to walk.
And right about now, Jason Harvey Jr. said he does feel regretful about his part in the prank.
"I do. And I apologize and I apologize and I apologize. But it's only so much I can say," he said.
Graduation at Aliquippa is Friday, June 2.
