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Dozens of New Jersey teens arrested during senior prank

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It’s the time of year when many high school seniors develop what’s informally known as “senioritis.” Symptoms of the fictitious condition include oversleeping, boredom with school curriculum and anxiousness to move on from high school.

Some high school seniors with so-called senioritis even pull class pranks as a way to commemorate their last months of high school. However, a senior prank by a large group of northern New Jersey high school students went too far and resulted in 63 students being arrested early Thursday.

The students from Teaneck High School are accused of breaking into their school and vandalizing property before police arrived at the scene in response to an alarm. Reports accuse the students of spraying Silly String on the floor, urinating in hallways, flipping over desk, smearing Vaseline on doors and taping hot dogs to lockers.

Some of the students reportedly fled from the school when police arrived while others attempted to hide. Officials said that none of the damage caused by the prank was permanent and school workers were able to clean up the mess within a few hours; however, they are not taking the prank lightly.

All of the 63 high school seniors who were arrested were charged with burglary and criminal mischief, two very serious charges. Police said two dozen of the students are over the age of 18 and are being treated as adults, while 39 were released to their parents and will likely be charged as juveniles.

Depending on how the county prosecutor decides to handle the case, the futures of these young people could be in jeopardy because of the prank they decided to pull. Not only could they face the possibility of being unable to graduate, those over 18 could potentially face a permanent criminal record.

Unfortunately for the teens, it’s unlikely that a judge or jury would accept “senioritis” as a valid defense, so they will need an experienced criminal defense lawyer in their corner.

Source: NJ.com, “More than 60 students arrested in Teaneck High School prank,” Noah Cohen and Myles Ma, May 1, 2014

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