Senior at Aliquippa pleading to attend graduation after being punished for prank

ALIQUIPPA, Pa. — “It’s upsetting. I really hope that I can go to graduation. This is something I would not want to miss,” said Jason Harvey, a student at Aliquippa Junior/Senior High School.

Harvey told Channel 11 that he has been looking forward to going to his high school graduation for a while. But now he’s not allowed to go because he was part of a senior prank with three other students in the middle of the night last week.

“We went to the school and threw eggs at the school and drizzle chocolate syrup and stuff,” said Harvey.

He said they also smeared ranch dressing and honey on the school, which was all caught on surveillance video.

The Aliquippa superintendent, Dr. Phillip Woods, said it was a huge mess. The entire front of the school was vandalized, and the cleanup cost the school $4,000 to $5,000.

“We had to go out and purchase equipment and cleaning supplies to clean the surface of the school,” said Woods.

Woods said the cleanup took hours and they had to do it fast because prom was the next day.

Meanwhile, Harvey and the other students were suspended for three days so they couldn’t go to the dance.

The school also has a policy in place that this kind of senior prank has serious consequences – including not going to graduation, which Harvey thinks is too harsh.

“They aren’t wrong for doing the rule and making people miss graduation, but I feel like the punishment should go to a certain extent,” said Harvey. “I feel like I’m being extra punished cause I missed prom.”

Harvey posted his situation on Facebook, which has gone viral with more than 600 shares. He said he’s a good student. A lot of comments are in support of Harvey’s plea to attend graduation on June 2.

However, the superintendent said he stands by the policy.

“Kids are violating the code of conduct and we are holding them accountable to the code of conduct,” said Woods. “For us to improve the school climate and improve the culture, actions have to be given when consequences are handed out.”

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