Seventeen of the 26 seniors from the Lee Academy graduating class of 2018 were spotted on camera breaking into the school and vandalizing property on the night of Tuesday, May 15.
Head of school Rone Walker said she received a phone call from Lee Academy employee Wilson Ellis the morning of Wednesday, May 16 and saw the damage when she arrived at school. Walker contacted the Clarksdale Police Department and Capt. Ricky Bridges was dispatched to the school.
According to the police report, toilet paper was all over the hallway from one end to the other, students’ desks were scattered down the hall, pictures were thrown on the floor, one locker was turned over and a couple of teachers’ rooms were targeted more than others. Students drove John Deere Gators into the main entrance of the school, entered the concession stand by the baseball field and went into the baseball field house and scattered baseball bats all over the floor.
The students graduated on Saturday but will do 30 hours of community service apiece before the end of June. The service activities include cleaning in the community, working at the Clarksdale Care Station and the CARES animal shelter.
“I just wanted them to be responsible to someone else and to see that you can help your community in positive ways and not in negative ways by vandalizing or trashing the school,” Walker said.
The students were each fined and some of the money will help replace the damaged items. They also cleaned up the school so classes could be held.
“It’s nothing that cannot be replaced,” Walker said. “I think there was misinformation in the community that there were items that were damaged that were irreplaceable to Lee Academy. That’s not true. Everything that was damaged we are able to replace.”
Walker said she believed the act started as a senior prank, was not malicious and escalated. She hoped community service would send a message that break-ins, trespassing and vandalism were not acceptable.
“I just think any school, not just Lee Academy, any school works hard to provide a quality building facility, supplies, materials for students in order to get their best education,” Walker said. “When someone damages that or is threatening to damage that, I take it very personally and I am sure other school administrators take it very personally because you’re investing not only in your child’s education, but a lot of other students. It costs a lot of money to run a school. To run a good school costs even more money, so we’re trying to make Lee Academy the best school we can and provide these students with every opportunity. I just wish that was respected by students, not just here but at any school.”
Walker said a camera will be installed in the gym and on athletic facilities to monitor student activity. Going forward, the handbook will read that anyone who trespasses or vandalizes property will automatically be prosecuted.
Lee Academy board member Alan Byrd, also a former board president, took the situation just as seriously.
“We’re upset about what happened, but they’re young people and they make mistakes,” he said. “We’re hoping to take this as a learning experience moving forward for not only these students, but the students that are behind them, the younger students.”
Walker said she believed the students understood the magnitude of their actions and learned a lesson.
“Be careful about what type of situation you get yourself in because even if you’re not one that meant to cause harm and harm was done, you’re associated with that group of people,” she said. “I think it’s very important to be mindful of the situations you get yourself into.”
