Senior Class Trashes School in Prank — and the Principal Gave Them the Keys

Officials in Lawndale, North Carolina, say a recent senior class prank left an entire high school in shambles — and the principal may have unwittingly facilitated it.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the senior students behind the vandalism — which pushed some teachers to tears — were provided keys to Burns High School by the principal.

The report asserts that the students led the principal to believe they would be decorating the school with streamers and balloons.

Instead, the building was trashed late last week.

Items from teachers' desks were found scattered about the school. Desks were overturned or found stacked in a pile.

Plants and a microwave from the teachers' lounge were also discovered in toilets in the school.

WSOC-TV reports that a collection of crickets was also released in the school, the floors of which were coated with baby oil. Doorknobs were slathered with petroleum jelly.

"To see this happen is a total disrespect for the school, the school board, and all the teachers and all the students that didn't participate in this," said Cleveland County School Board member Ronnie Grigg, speaking to WSOC-TV.

Teachers and custodians spent hours cleaning the school.

Grigg noted that the school board recently approved $12 million in renovations at Burns High.

The Observer reports the school board held a closed session meeting Monday night to discuss the prank, but it was unclear what came of those proceedings.