A PRANK AND A CRANK

Sangamon County prosecutors are mulling whether to file charges against nine former Sacred Heart-Griffin students who filled thousands of paper cups with water and placed them on the floor of a school commons area last May. Those responsible for the senior prank were quickly identified – word soon spread (wonder how that happened) – and school administrators handled the matter by handing out suspensions last spring to the students who are now graduates. Five months after the fact, assistant principal Robert Brenneisen (rhymes with “no sense of humor”) on Oct. 12 filed a criminal complaint with Springfield police, who investigated the matter as a case of trespassing, disorderly conduct, theft (the kids had to filch keys from a teacher to get into the high school in dead of night) and criminal damage to property (water was spilled on some sort of artwork when the cups were picked up). Brenneisen, who declined comment, called the cops after discovering a video on Youtube that includes footage of the pranksters committing the dastardly deed and bragging about it. State’s attorney John Milhiser says the matter is under review. Confidential to Brenneisen: There are dozens upon dozens of videos on Youtube showing pranksters setting of paper cups filled with water on floors of high schools throughout the land. The police have more important things to do than write reports about it, and prosecutors have weightier matters on their desks than this. Move on.

anonymous123321

SHG needs to let this go! The fact is that the faculty damaged artwork by trying hastily to clean up the water by spilling the cups onto the floor. In the process, the pranksters actually moved artwork so it would not be damaged in anyway. They were not trying to harm anyones artwork. Entering the school with keys they found and putting cups of water down on the floor... TISK TISK. God forbid these kids actually do something serious. Props to the pranksters!

SpringfieldGuy

It appears that the administration supports the criminal complaints. To a donor and a friend of the school I am very disappointed in the SHG board and administration. If the administration would have let this silly video "go", and not file charges, we wouldn't be reading this story. Shame on SHG for this poor decision.

SHG2012

I will admit I was disappointed in the boy's prank. It caused more strife than humor. But the fact of the matter is, the administration offered the students a deal and if they took it (SHG said they would not involve the police, if the boys turned themselves in). But five months later when the prank is completely irrelevant you call in the police because of a video? You should check the Internet more often, there are thousands of videos making fun of SHG, especially SHG's administration. Big Bob needs to grow up. Springfield is the third most dangerous city in America, the police have much better things on their itinerary than stupid pranks which have already been solved.

shganonymous

This is a joke. The fact that shg administration did not take legal action until the video was made public shows that they are being purely vindictive and spiteful. The bottom line is they had their feelings hurt and now want some form of payback. They need to stop being a total boner police. Also, just to clarify, the pranksters used over 18,000 cups. pretty impressive if you ask me.

DEEBO

I say we lay our uniforms on big bob's desk like at the end of rudy
#BonerPatrol

annonymouse

Brenneisen is a putz. He made a deal with the kids. If you don't understand it, look at the video, which is hysterical. Brenneiesen and the SHG administration agreed to not turn the kids in to the police if they did three detentions each, took their finals, and wrote an apology letter. The kids kept their end of the bargain. (There were no suspensions) Brenneisen should have kept his end of the agreement. He went to the police after he promised not to because he is embarrassed by the video that came out 5 months after the prank.

Brenneisen is the dean of discipline at SHG. If he did not know kids made fun of him he does now. It goes with the job. He should get over it and let the kids be kids.

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A PRANK AND A CRANK

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