it is freezing and windy.
oooof course.
and tomorrow i'll wear jeans and a sweatshirt, and it will be 90 degrees.
MISSION VIEJO - School vandalism and a food fight at Trabuco Hills High School prompted administrators to cancel a Spirit Week assembly Wednesday, said Principal Dan Sullivan.
Some 500 students later gathered to protest the cancelation.
The problems arose during the school's "Spirit Week," which encourages students to attend events and participate in activities that promote school pride.
Canceled assembly
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Before school, though, administrators found the campus had been vandalized by obscene chalk drawings on the sidewalk, toilet paper, and streamers.
"The vandalism was done by our own students — primarily juniors and seniors who decided to go too far in their rivalry of grade levels," Sullivan said.
Later a food fight broke out during the student's morning break when some sophomores began to bother students of other grade levels. Two groups of 20 to 30 students heaved water bottles at each other. About 15 students were caught throwing items and were suspended from school, said Sullivan.
By Thursday, campus life had returned to normal. Some students wore black to protest the canceled assembly.
“I can see why seniors would be upset but people other than them have nothing to be upset about,” said Mehdi Tabilch, 15, on Thursday.
“More people wanted reason to protest than were actually upset over the assembly being canceled,” said Lukas Mueller, another freshman.
There were no injuries as a result of the food fight and protest Wednesday. A security guard on campus with the assistance of a sheriff's deputy was asked to provide preventative help in controlling the students, said Sullivan.
Sullivan says as a result, staff was wary of putting 3,000 kids in the stadium for an assembly without the guarantee of a safe environment. He said the students needed time to regroup and calm down.
About 500 students upset over the decision to cancel the assembly briefly protested in the school's quad after fourth period, said Sullivan.
During the protest that lasted for 10 minutes about 30 to 40 students sat in the quad and hundreds of others stood while chanting, said Sullivan.Those students who arrived back to class within 15 minutes of its start were marked tardy. Those who arrived after 15 minutes were considered truant for the period as stated in school and district policy. A couple of students who were overtly defiant or profane were taken to the office and suspended from school.
Sullivan said the demonstration was peaceful and students were eventually cooperative.
The assembly, staged by the Associated Student Body class, involved over 250 students, staff and hired entertainers who were prepared to perform.
"We lost money about $5,000 invested from the ASB into the event," said Sullivan, "It's a great event and really pumps them up, but when kids don't know how to draw the line it can cause problems."
ohhhh, man.