‘Senior prank’ could kick Southridge kids out of their graduation. Boards plans emergency session

The Kennewick School Board planned an emergency meeting Friday to decide if some Southridge High School seniors would be banned from attending Saturday’s graduation ceremony.

At least 18 Southridge students arrived at Kennewick High School on Wednesday evening planning to commit a “senior prank,” said Kennewick police Sgt. Aaron Clem.

Some of the teens went in through an unlocked door in the Lion’s Den, the high school gymnasium. They grabbed papers and other items they found inside and made a mess throwing them around.

School officials discovered the mess Thursday morning and, with the help of surveillance video, they tracked down students involved.

Prosecutors will decide whether the teens will face charges. There was no lasting damage to the gym but the teens potentially face criminal trespassing and malicious mischief charges. Both are misdemeanors.

All the students were emergency expelled from classes, though its unclear how many were seniors about to graduate.

Emergency expulsions are used for students who endanger students, staff or the educational process, said school officials.

The school board’s sessions with the students were closed to the public because they involved discipline. No other information was expected to be released.

This story was originally published June 7, 2019 at 11:56 AM.