Student Tries To Sell High School On Craigslist In Graduation Prank
INDEPENDENCE, MO (CBS Local) - A Missouri student has been banned from walking in his high school graduation after a senior prank was misinterpreted as a "threat" against the school.
Kylan Scheele of Truman High School says he was trying to find a final school prank that wouldn't get too out of control. "Other people were going to release live mice or, you know, building a beach in the front lobby area," the graduating senior said, via Gizmodo. "And I thought let's do something more laid back, so I just decided to post the school for sale."
Scheele listed the "huge 20+ room facility" on Craigslist for the rock bottom price of just $12,725.
The prank itself didn't get Scheele into trouble. It was one phrase the senior used, which school officials reportedly took as a veiled threat that the student was planning to attack the building.
Scheele wrote on Craigslist that Truman High was for sale "due to loss of students coming up." "I decided to say the reason we're selling this is because of 'the loss of students,' because the senior class is graduating," Scheele told reporters. "I don't see how it was a threat at all."
Truman officials released a statement saying police investigated the prank and found no credible threat from Scheele, whose words were clearly misinterpreted as a school shooting threat. Regardless of the miscommunication, the student was forbidden from attending his high school graduation.
"Administrators and police investigated and determined there was not a credible threat. A student who makes a real or implied threat, whether it is deemed credible or not, will face discipline," administrators wrote.
The senior's mother wasn't too worried about the discipline. "He's going to get his diploma no matter what," Denetra Clark said. "Maybe the party will start sooner."