Senior pranks have been around but never seem to be very appreciated. That begs the question, should senior pranks stay around in high school, or should the schools ban senior pranks because of the negative effects it has on other students and the school administration?

Many high schools don’t take pranks that have gone too far lightly. In some cases, the schools will get the police involved if necessary and will confiscate items if needed. In the article  “Student Journalist Suspended After Prank,” a student who was a part of documenting events around school decided to document a senior prank of students jumping into a pool with their clothes on, and the school did not like it. The article states that “Wakefield confiscated Pierce’s camera.” This was done because the camera had videos of students jumping into the pools with their clothes on, and the school did not appreciate that act. The student recording claimed he was just documenting an event happening at the school, but the school still thought the student was involved with the prank. This goes to show how you’re better off staying out of pranks you know the school does not appreciate since you will still suffer the same consequences. But that was just a minor example of a consequence. A more severe consequence is shown in the article “Teen Pranks No Longer Seen As Child’s Play,” and they state that for some pranks that go too far, they can be  “Punishable up to 20 years and a fine up to $10,000.” This show how schools don’t see severe pranks as a “joke” or “funny” but rather criminal activity.

Senior pranks affect many people in many different ways, depending on what position you are in. When I asked Iliana, a former student at Spash: How do you think people doing the pranks feel compared to the people experiencing them? She said, “For the people experiencing them it would depend on the prank, if it was something not serious everyone would enjoy it including the school but if it is something that leaves a mess or cause damage, students may think it is funny be the school would not appreciate the pranks and the students doing them may get in trouble if caught.” This statement perfectly sums up how different people may feel about pranks. In the article written by Kovach and Young explain that seniors thought it would be a great idea to serve marijuana laced muffins, stating, “Marijuana-laced muffins were sent to a group of teachers and sent 19 people to the hospital.” This focuses more on the health effects these pranks can have, which put people’s health in jeopardy. 

The science behind why seniors make these decisions is quite simple. Kovach and Young also state that “For adults, the frontal lobe of the brain largely controls decision making. But for many teenagers, the portion of the lower brain that responds to emotional stimuli is used to make decisions.” This is saying that teenagers’ and young adults’ frontal cortex that controls decision-making is not fully developed, which could influence whether or not someone does an extreme prank. But does this justify these pranks?

So, are senior pranks even worth it if they cause damage to people and property? Well no, they would not be worth it in those cases, which rarely happen. In most cases, a senior prank is fun and enjoyable, but there should be some rules and regulations in place to keep things in order. I asked Iliana, “Do you think senior pranks should be continued or banned? Why or why not?” Iliana stated, “Senior pranks should be continued but taken with more caution than in previous years. Pranks can be taken too far sometimes, and the school staff does not appreciate cleaning up after people’s pranks even when they are excessive.” This strengthens the argument that senior pranks should be taken with more caution by both the school and the students. 

Pranks should still be a part of seniors’ final semester, but there should be some regulations made around this issue. But what could they do about the pranks so they can still have fun, but also have the pranks be safe for everyone?