Water balloon fight puts a damper on graduation

UPDATE:
Statement from the Board of Education, June 22, 2011

On Tuesday, June 21, the Board of Education met in executive session for nearly four hours to review the Superintendent’s decision regarding the incidents which occurred at the Junior-Senior High School at dismissal on Tuesday, June 14. The board considered the case of each individual student, regardless of whether the parents had filed a formal appeal to the board.

After careful deliberation of all the facts and circumstances, including the fact that all parents and students were notified in writing on two separate occasions of the consequences of engaging in this type of activity, as well as the fact that these students’ actions endangered the safety of students, pedestrians, motorists and others, the Board of Education has determined to affirm the decision of the superintendent and high school administrators regarding the incidents, including the penalty which was rendered. -- Linda Schmidt, president of the East Rockaway Board of Education


STORY:
Fourteen of the 119 seniors who are expected to graduate from East Rockaway High School on Friday — 12 percent of the class of 2011 — were banned from the ceremonies because of their participation in a water balloon fight across from the Ocean Avenue school after dismissal on June 14.

According to Superintendent Roseanne Melucci, the students — 20 or so according to some reports, but as many as 40 according to others — were acting in an “insubordinate and reckless” manner, “creating an unsafe environment with the risk of injury.”

“We were fortunate that no one got hurt,” said Melucci, explaining that parents received two notices in the mail, in May and June, about senior pranks and the potential penalties for taking part in one: exclusion from the senior banquet, the prom, graduation or other end-of-the-year class activities. “It’s not like we’re breaking new ground,” she added. “They knew this could happen.”

According to Melucci, a group of students gathered across the street and threw water balloons at students who were leaving as classes were dismissed. The school’s crossing guard was hit in the face with a balloon, as were Principal Bill Fortgang and Assistant Principal James DiTomasso, who had come outside to defuse the situation, were also hit. Melucci said that the crossing guard told her she was afraid she would be unable to do her job, and that cars were backed up down Ocean Avenue. At least one car was also hit with a water balloon.

“These students chose to contribute to making an unsafe and difficult dismissal,” Melucci said. There were rumors that some of the balloons were filled with urine or a hair-removal product.

Those disciplined were in both the junior and senior classes, and some juniors were banned from the prom, as well as from sports activities for next semester.