22 May, 2012

MLive.com: Grand Rapids : Kenowa Hills seniors suspended after school calls bike ride a prank

MLive.com: Grand Rapids : Kenowa Hills seniors suspended after school calls bike ride a prank: WALKER, MI – Sabrena Hall and more than 60 other Kenowa Hills High School seniors are upset that a bike ride to school this morning got them suspended on the last day of school, and banned from the traditional senior walk.

Students say more than 100 classmates participated in a 3-mile bike ride to school that included escorts by a Walker Police cruiser and the mayor. It was supposed to be a fun twist on the types of things that typically happen on senior prank day.

But Principal Katie Pennington was not consulted and not happy about the organized event, suspending 64 of the students for the day. There are about 300 students in Kenowa's senior class.

“She was very upset,” said Hall, 17. “We did not consider this a prank at all, but an opportunity to celebrate our last day at school. We were singing the school fight song (while biking).”

But the principal was not pleased.

“I am glad they made it here safely. It was a safety risk,” said Pennington, who said the bikers caused a major traffic problem and disrupted the school day.