May 14, 2007 6:30 pm US/Pacific
Rat Prank Goes Awry In N.Y. High School
WARWICK, N.Y. (CBS) ―
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In the cell phone video, a student can be seen picking up a rat by its tail and placing into a box on the hallway floor.
CBS
The month of May brings a long-standing tradition to a high school in Warwick, N.Y. -- pranks carried out by the senior class.
Last year, students got into a massive water balloon fight. Every year, shaving cream is smuggled into school and put to uses for which it was never intended.
This year, the principal anticipated trouble, and on May 3 issued an edict; each day for the rest of the term book bags, backpacks, and purses would have to be stored in lockers, in an effort to reduce access to prank-friendly items.
The new rules went into effect Monday. Late last week, students managed to pull off one last bit of mischief, and some poor little mice paid the price.
It happened Thursday afternoon in a hallway leading to the cafeteria at Warwick Valley High School. Students snuck several rats and white mice into the school, apparently via their book bags.
A student caught the tail-end of the prank on his cell phone camera.
The video shows someone holding a rat by the tail, and carrying it down the hallway. Students scramble to avoid another rat, and several white mice are seen cowering in a corner.
A messy streak on the tile floor shows where at least one mouse met a grisly fate.
"There was a lot of screaming and running around," said principal Randy Barbarash. "It took us a while to catch the mice. Unfortunately, one or two of the animals were stepped on in the process, and killed."
Students said as pranks go, this one was a doozy.
"I like causing trouble," said senior Rob Valentine, "but I wouldn't let mice go."
"I'm actually really afraid of mice, so it kind of creeped me out," said Tierney Crone, a junior.
A mother of a 10th grader said she was outraged living creatures perished because of a prank.
"I think it's horrible," the woman said. "The kids really have a blatant lack of respect."
As for the new bag restrictions that went into effect Monday, "as you might expect, there's been some grumbling, some testing of limits," said principal Barbarash. "But 99 percent of the young people are just taking it in stride."
Meanwhile, the mouse-and-rat release is under investigation. Police are talking to local pet stores, trying to find out who bought the rodents. The principal said the pranksters won't be laughing if they face suspension, or even misdemeanor charges.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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