Skyline High School seniors stage food fight, other pranks on last day
Some Skyline High School seniors led a food fight during the school's first lunch period Thursday. Pictured here is the school's commons area, where students eat lunch.
Photo courtesy of ECOsurfaces
It was the last day for seniors, and the school’s first graduating class decided to mark it with “spaghetti and brown slop everywhere,” Twitter user Matthew C., @drfuzzyness, tweeted this afternoon. The fire alarm also was pulled twice and "stink bombs" were going off in the hallways, one student said.
"It smelled horrible," said senior Ari Axelrod. "It smelled like sulfuric, rotten eggs — just disgusting throughout the whole day."
Ann Arbor schools spokeswoman Liz Margolis couldn't immediately confirm the report of false fire alarms and stink bombs.
Axelrod said while he wasn't at lunch during the food fight because it occurred during the school's first lunch period, and he has a later lunch period, he saw the "aftermath."
Margolis said Skyline Principal Sulura Jackson told her teachers had heard mention of a possible food fight, so the school staffed the lunchroom with about 25 additional people.
“They sort of had an inkling or a heads up it was going to happen,” Margolis said. “(Jackson) said a kid ran through the common area screaming 'food fight,' at which time some food was thrown.”
Jackson told Margolis she would not characterize it as a “huge” fight. Jackson told Margolis staff members were able to stave off the food fight until the final few minutes of the lunch period. She added nothing occurred during the second lunch period, even though there were seniors at both lunches.
Axelrod said during second lunch, about 10 minutes prior to the final bell ringing, administrators ordered students to clear everything from the cafeteria tables.
"We were told — in kind of a mean, rude way — to throw everything away, get everything off the table and everyone had to be seated," he said, adding seniors walking around signing yearbooks were told to stop.
"The school really was in chaos today," he said, explaining there were chants, cheers and large-scale applause that broke out during lunch and after school.
Axelrod admitted that even though students were breaking the rules today, he and others felt like the student body was unified for the first time in four years.
"I'll be honest ... this was the first day ever since the school has been open that I felt like we were one unit, not four separate grades," he said. "We felt like we accomplished something and kind of had a voice for the first time. A lot of us don't always agree with what goes on at the school and how we're always treated ... the students kind of feel powerless. So today, I guess people feel like we accomplished something together."
Several students tweeted about the food fight after the fact, declaring it “full-scale,” “glorious,” “the hypest food fight” and a “monumental achievement” of the first graduating class.
Chris Nicholson, @ChrisSoBased, tweeted, “I'll be mad surprised if any high school in the country can match the pandemonium of Skyline with a food fight.”
Axelrod agreed the day was chaotic. He said there were four or five police officers there, when typically there is just one. The lunchroom also was arranged differently so that students sat more grouped together and traffic out of the school was directed out of one exit, he said.
"Our school has had (bomb threats) this year and today was the most security I have seen," he said.
Margolis said the building administrators are still “getting to the bottom” of the food fight. One student told AnnArbor.com that one person may be facing disciplinary action as a result of the fight.
Pioneer High School seniors staged a large-scale food fight several years ago. Principal Michael White, said the school has cracked down on senior pranks in recent years. So far it, appears the 2012 senior class even has forgone Pioneer’s annual scavenger hunt.
Skyline High School’s graduation ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. June 11 at Eastern Michigan University’s Convocation Center.
Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
Andrew Smith
Sun, Jun 3, 2012 : 1:17 p.m.
Food-fights and pranks are trivia. I'm interested in the educational productiveness, or lack thereof, of the school. With the first senior class graduating, we should be able to do some analysis - compare Skyline with Huron and Pioneer in terms of AP scores, SAT, ACT, MME, etc.; but scores on standardized tests alone don't tell the full story. Also compare into which universities the students are getting admitted. Big Ten schools? Ivy League schools? We need to compare and measure these three main high schools in our city.
martini man
Sun, Jun 3, 2012 : 12:40 a.m.
If some of the food used in the food fight was high in fat or sugar .... would that be considered assault with a deadly weapon ???? Something the liberals might want to consider .
Anon.
Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 1:42 a.m.
I'm just disappointed that, once again, AnnArbor.com has portrayed SHS with some definite bias. Although I understand it's a process we have to go through as a new school, I wish the site had done more thorough reporting. Had they looked more into the whole scenario they might have learned that the seniors' original prank was to fill the pond at Skyline with rubber duck toys but it was cleaned up before school started the next day. However this speaks to the decency of the students as that would have been funny and COMPLETELY harmless. The pranks on the last day of school, while they were immature (and what prank isn't immature by the way?), may have been more desperate attempt to make up for the failed duck scheme. Yes, on one hand the two fire false fire drills will cost $1000 from what I hear, but on the other hand a food fight shouldn't justify locking bathrooms, stationing several cops in the lunchroom/parking lot, suspensions, and not allowing students to stand during late lunch. The administration at Skyline needs serious work.
ACy
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 10:49 p.m.
I don't understand how people like jns131 can have opinions like that, in all honesty, kids will be kids, let them have their fun, let them go out with a bang. So what if you have to clean up afterwards. As far as senior pranks go, they were just having fun, this is nothing compared to what students are really capable of. As a student in high school, I can personally tell you, its like Auschwitz during the last week for seniors, its ridiculous, kids are suspended for simply being in the halls. loosen up on them, they have spent 12 years of their life in the system, why treat them like criminals.
aaparent
Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 12:04 a.m.
Comparing the last week of school for seniors at Skyline to Auschwitz is offensive and lacks perspective. While your suffering of cabin fever and antsiness to launch out of the the sustainable building and inspiring school culture might be very real and truly painful for you, it is out of line to compare your last days of 12th grade to a Nazi war camp where people lost their lives. I agree with you that the food fight at Skyline is not a war crime either, but the self-centered, disrespected and entitled attitude of some Skyline seniors sets a poor example. The food fight, the stink bombs and the cocky attitudes of a few students who wanted to call attention to their years and years of suffering in this brand new building shifts attention away from many of the graduates who did an admirable job pioneering their way through the new school culture. Maybe you could help organize those seniors who threw food to go back and clean up or even step it up and spend some time working in a food kitchen, or organize a food drive.
Brian Chang
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 7:25 p.m.
The school did over react a little. A food fight does create a mess, but is definitely not as serious as the Pioneer incidents last year.
Jonathan Blutarsky
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 5:48 p.m.
Lighten up people - it was a high school cafeteria food fight. No one should get suspended from attending graduation, no one should get fired. Make them apologize to the custodians, make them clean it up, and move on people!
Brandon Angelini
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 5:31 p.m.
In the past, the list of Pioneer pranks (defecating on the skyline athletic fields, defecating on the skyline cop car, spray painting purple "2011" over skyline's property, stealing the letters on the "skyline" sign) were all designed to send the message to students at Skyline that we're not welcome in the Ann Arbor community. Skyline's pranks however didn't damage any other schools, or even our own. Skyline isn't going away, so relax and enjoy your summer Ann Arbor, Skyline seniors are a group you should be proud of.
justcurious
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 5:03 p.m.
"I'll be honest ... this was the first day ever since the school has been open that I felt like we were one unit, not four separate grades," he said. "We felt like we accomplished something and kind of had a voice for the first time. A lot of us don't always agree with what goes on at the school and how we're always treated ... the students kind of feel powerless. So today, I guess people feel like we accomplished something together." Try that in your workplace when you get out in the REAl world. Trashing the lunchroom and then watching the custodians clean up your mess shows a lot of power, huh?
Jonathan Blutarsky
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 4:03 p.m.
Guess what I am... Food Fight!
mirrorTALK
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 3:23 p.m.
my daughter goes to skyline and she came home and told me what had happened I told her that even though it was not right for them to do this they could have gotten in alot of trouble for it but I UNDERWTAND, I went to PIHI late 80's early 90's and we turned that school out LOL Mr. Hayword Principle Jones (he thought he was Joe Clark lol) I know they could not wait for the kids to graduate from 89-to 92 those where the days. anyone in here went to Pioneer during that time then you know what im talking about.
justcurious
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 4:58 p.m.
You just proved my point.
Heather
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 2:54 p.m.
I am really glad that no one was hurt, but do you realize how easily someone could have been? My first year of teaching (in another state), a junior high school student was blinded in one eye because of a "harmless" water gun fight on the last day of school. It was harmless until one student accidentally refilled his water gun with a bucket of what he thought was just water that was in the custodian's closet. Many years later, I taught at a school in Michigan where it was customary for the kids to have a "harmless" shaving cream fight the last day of school -- until a few kids decided to add cans of depilatory and bug spray into the mix. I think the adults who are saying that no one was hurt and everyone should lighten up and let the kids have their fun have not had experience with what can happen when teenagers are permitted to throw things at one another.
eCoaster
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 2:21 p.m.
School administration knew to staff the lunchroom with extra security, but didn't warn students with food allergies to avoid the area. Lucky no one had a life-threatening reaction. Not funny.
Brandon Angelini
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 5:21 p.m.
Hahaha I'll go ahead and assume that's sarcasm, and in that case it's pretty funny...
justcurious
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 1:57 p.m.
I suppose this will get deleted as well. Three year olds throw their food around and expect other people to pick it up. People who are about to go out into the world do not. Three year olds get treated like three year olds. Because some rules were made does not mean you throw a tantrum like a three year old. Adults will have rules the rest of their lives to follow. Why is it a violation to criticize the thinking of some students on here?
EIB
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 1:17 p.m.
I know that in my Senior Year we looked forward to Senior Pranks. It was a moment that bonded the different classes and groups of students together in our last year. It is like the student mentioned in the article "I'll be honest ... this was the first day ever since the school has been open that I felt like we were one unit, not four separate grades." no one was hurt and nothing was damaged all it did was create more work for the staff. If I was a member of the administration I would happily trade one day of chaos for a GREAT year from their first graduating class. I am extremely disappointed in the fact that the administration would even consider keeping a senior from walking because of this. It looks like the administration is just looking to make an example out of one of their students.
Mac
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:55 p.m.
Missing your high school graduation for a food fight on your last day of high school for the rest of your life? A touch much.
jaylove94
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:23 p.m.
I am currently a student attending Skyline; I do believe skyline students are the most well behaved in the district. We are all just tired of the rules and regulations. Yes skyline is new and trying to compete with others but this is my high school life! Many of the staff, hall assistance talk to us like where 3. We have no say! I've been attending skyline for the past 3 years, have great grades, and has never caused trouble yet I and others feel the same. Dress code, Really thinking about banning leggings, and yoga pants? Jeans are wayyyy to expensive!! I left a charter and private school for a reason.. Upcoming Senior year I don't want an environment like this....
Stefan Hanosh
Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
In my opinion, saying that the students are well-behaved and that they are tired of the rules is a contradiction. In regards to the dress code, the reason why they enforce it is because students think it's alright to wear the aforementioned clothing. The reason why the staff treats the students like three-year-olds is because the students act like them. While I can agree that the students have no say, that's because Principal Jackson doesn't trust the students (yet she gave a self-named award to a high-up SAS member). Thankfully I'll only have to deal with this chaos for one more year.
ESprout
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 4:02 p.m.
I'd like you to expand on the rules and regulations that you are so tired of. As for a dress code, while you may think it's ridiculous, think about the reasoning behind those proposed (or imposed) bans. And your excuse that jeans are wayyyy too expensive, maybe you should think about finding a cheaper brand of jean to wear ($150 Lucky Brand vs. $60 GAP vs. $30 Levis with 30% off Kohl's coupon...just sayin') Senior year is what you make it. And your experiences shouldn't be tainted because you aren't allowed to wear yoga pants or leggings.
skigrl50
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 11:34 a.m.
And to think that the former police liaison officer was recently quoted as saying that Skyline has the most well behaved students in the district. How about the most immature? A food fight, really?? High school seniors??
A2comments
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 10:28 a.m.
These seniors have always been the "big dogs" at the school without having older kids to look up to. I suspect they will be a very immature group overall.
Wake Up A2
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 10:11 a.m.
Not bad for principal of the year ah? If you had a principal like over at PIHI, there was no senior issues this year...... So why didn't he get the honors? Time to find someone else to run the place.....
Les Gov
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 4:58 a.m.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u48PvBTl3u8&feature=fvst
Iliketurtles
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 2:11 a.m.
Lolololol, our school is so unorganized. Might I correct statements made by the schools by telling u that this was an all out food fight. Everything went good, just as planned by the seniors. We left the best mark on this school as it will see ever. Just wait until if we have a scavenger hunt. I certainly wouldn't take part in it though. We are so great, go eagles ! rarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!
Iliketurtles
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 11:40 p.m.
I got good grades and was accepted to washtenaw, but its not like I ever tried very hard in school. SKYLINE SEINORS 12!!!!!!!!!!!
Brandon Angelini
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 5:18 p.m.
Haha another classic joke, there's no way this is a Skyline student writing this, use some discretion, we're not that stupid at skyline. @"justcurious" Skyline is a good school, and it'd be wise to suspend judgement until it's seen how we as seniors perform. To repeat last year Pioneer kids defecated on Skyline's athletic field and tagged "2011" all over skyline's building, stealing letters off the skyline sign, along with breaking a few windows. And you're mad because at skyline we threw a little food?
justcurious
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:47 p.m.
I can't believe that our tax dollars are sending people who think like this out into the world. I think a few more years of schooling could help with the writing skills, but not sure about the thinking skills.
northside
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:25 a.m.
Is there any occurrence in the public schools that annarbor.com considers unworthy of reporting? I can't believe a newspaper has published an article about a food fight.
Unusual Suspect
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:21 p.m.
What is this "newspaper" of which you speak? I am not familiar with this word.
microtini
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 11:59 p.m.
It's clear that Principal Jackson does not have control of her school. The violent and dangerous nature of the "pranks," while not to be condoned, is typical of students who feel alienated from their environment. This incident, coupled with the recent bomb threats, makes it clear that Principal Jackson has not won the respect of students at Skyline, notwithstanding her Michigan Principal of the Year Award.
a2flow
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 1 a.m.
Microtini, Though I am not a fan of Jackson, how about a little accountability for the actions of the students? I also don't like have much affection for the woman, but does that justify me doing destructive things in the building and blaming her? Jackson made me do it! One could also argue that the kids act the way they do because they realize there will be little to no consequences for poor behavior. Most of the admins in this district care about manipulating the data to show that the number of referrals/suspensions are decreasing, especially for certain segments of the school population. How do they do this? They simply don't enforce or minimize consequences whenever possible. What you get is a school run not by the adults, but the kids that don't/won't behave. The principal of the year award is an absolute joke. Based on what? Data? What data? The problem of today's society is that we enable way too much. Students should have a voice, but at the same time, they also need to face some consequences. The adults should be the one's leading the way, with some student input. The consequences that their parents or school fail to give them today will only be magnified in intensity and frequency tomorrow. SoutheastA2, nice comment!
SouthEastA2
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:17 a.m.
She has created an award named after herself. That has to count for something.
a2flow
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 11:50 p.m.
As someone that works in AAPS, I find most of these comments laughable. Oh yes, heaven forbid that the kids are expected to behave themselves and not throw food. In many of the schools in the district there are little to no consequences for poor behavior. With the new sup's behavior initiative, the lunatics will truly be running the asylum. On a different note, I wonder if this is what Skyline means when they keep saying they are "different"? They have had a habit of anointing themselves as the new leaders of the educational world.
clockworkmonkey
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 11:41 p.m.
The evening before, Skyline hosted a ceremony recognizing its first graduating class and honoring its best and brightest. Priyanka Menon and Brian Farrell were given the Integrity award, Ana Sofia Moreno Mesa and Dallas Conner the Diversity award, Jessica Eisma and Nathan Edmunds the Equality, and Isabelle Romero and Jacob Hirschl the Academic Innovation. Johanna Glogower received the Sulura W. Jackson Award. All seniors received a pin with the school's coat of arms. I'm having a hard time finding the article about this on Annarbor.com. Can you provide the link?
SouthEastA2
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:16 a.m.
The Sulura W. Jackson Award? It is no wonder that Skyline breeds arrogance. It obviously starts at the top!
tom swift jr.
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:13 a.m.
Well said.
BobbyTarsus
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 11:38 p.m.
I recall as a student at YHS, the seniors placed a VW Bug on the roof, as the WCSD looked on and laughed. How times have changed. Nowadays, a student with a plastic butter knife will cause a lock down. I remember students wearing buck knives in sheathes on their belts, and no alarm. Nobody ever got cut. Administrators should lighten up, and let the kids have a little fun.
Wehrwolf
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 3:59 p.m.
Pranks like what you describe actually took some planning and though beforehand to make it happen. MIT has a tradition of graduating seniors pulling pranks; they even have a gallery dedicated to some of the more memorable ones. http://hacks.mit.edu/ But throwing food around? Pulling the fire alarm? Taking a dump on the Pioneer HS athletic field....seriously? That's the best kids these days can come up with? I agree, times have changed, but then again, so have the kids it seems, and what they think is "funny". This is just a bunch of kids being immature and acting out, not a "prank".
Goober
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 11:04 p.m.
Most seem harmeless and healthy. We built a gallows for our principal, staged the materials on the HS roof and eventually erected the gallows on the roof for all to see when they came to school the next morning. The police knew, saw us and told us when to erect the structure. No penalty. No suspensions. Lots of laughs. AND, our pictures somewhere in a police log for all to see and ponder. In fact, they had us erect the structure in the parking lot for pictures prior to telling us how and when to accomplish our goal. My how times have changed. Walking through a school in a chicken outfit causes alarm, arrests and suspensions. Wonder what will happen to these seniors when they plan and execute their pranks?
yardy
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:49 p.m.
Yes, as a matter of fact I'm there daily. I was also there last year when Pioneer defecated on and spray painted the football turf. Keep it in perspective. And, I can confirm that the kids were told to stay in class during the fire alarm. Good the pranksters didn't light a fire as their final prank.
justcurious
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:52 p.m.
Not tooting your own horn a bit are you. You're proud of this stuff? Unbelievable.
tom swift jr.
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:40 p.m.
I'm assuming that those of you calling this "harmless" were there with mops cleaning up afterwards, right? Good for you! Support those kids!
Onwar
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:27 p.m.
I would like to point out that the administrators did not allow the students to leave the building when the fire alarms went off. If this isn't illegal, it's definitely morally wrong. Why would you risk keeping 1600 students locked inside a building, without confirmation that there was no fire?
justcurious
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:53 p.m.
Considering the mess they made, maybe they should never be let out into the real world.
A2comments
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 10:35 a.m.
This is clearly wrong. She needs to be disciplined by the district.
microtini
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 12:12 a.m.
Gotta go with Onwar on this one. Losing control of your school is not an excuse to ignore emergency procedures. The message to students is, when you hear an alarm you should exit the building immediately...or not, depending on whether there was a recent food fight.
Onwar
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 11:34 p.m.
Not to mention the fire alarms are can be damaging to people's ears.
Onwar
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 11:33 p.m.
10 seconds is not enough to confirm that there was no fire in the building...
Silly Sally
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 11:32 p.m.
Perhaps they could see that there was no fire. What do you think, that it takes a fireman to see if there is a fire? They confirmed it. Oh, so silly!
Blerg
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:24 p.m.
Impressive piece of journalism, AA.com. An interview with Timmy the Teenager and a couple boastful tweets. I can't wait to see another hard hitting piece about students cleaning out lockers and (gasp!) not recycling old papers.
Annon
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:16 p.m.
I think it's pretty great that the students wanted to leave mark on being the first ever graduated class. It's not something that will ever happen again at Skyline, so I found this to be really inspiring for them to have such pride in being an Eagle. None of the pranks hurt anyone in any way. So why have such drastic punishments? It could have been much worse. This was harmless, and simply a way to let everyone know that they will forever remembered in history as the first graduating class.
A2comments
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 10:24 a.m.
What if a firefighter was inured or killed responding to the false alarm? Or someone's home burned while they responded to these TWO false alarms (yes they did happen)?
boo
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 2:19 a.m.
how about being remembered for a significant accomplishment? a food fight is childish. but that fits the whole personality of the little sister school that Skyline is. And no comment from the high school principal of the year? you mean they aren't perfect over there? I bet if she was quoted she would find a way to say she planned the food fight too.
yardy
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:14 p.m.
jns131 Are you kidding me? These kids could have done so much more. The administration at the school has treated them like 4-year olds since day one. Suspend them from graduation for a food fight? Clean up the mess and move on. It's not a great thing, but it's not the end of the world. Lighten up.
steven
Sat, Jun 2, 2012 : 2:25 p.m.
When you act like 4-year olds, you get treated like 4-year olds.
Subroutine
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:02 p.m.
Hmm, food fight by seniors at a school, Alert the media! Oh, wait...
jns131
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 9:49 p.m.
This reminds me of what happened years ago at Scarlet. Food fight by the 8th graders. All activities for them suspended including suspensions. I really hope the ones involved do get suspended from graduation. I know I would expect mine to be. What a mess. So sad to hear this.
EIB
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 1:26 p.m.
The students should be held responsible for their actions. Let them have their fun, and after the ones that are responsible should have to clean up the mess, simple as that. Call their parents and make the students stay after school to clean it up. Holding the students accountable for their own actions can only benefit them in the long run. This form of punishment benefits the students "FAR" more than suspension from graduation.
Tom Devine
Fri, Jun 1, 2012 : 2:21 a.m.
Really jns131? lighten up. Were you never a kid yourself? School and growing up is meant to be loose