HONOLULU (AP) — Twelve seniors at a Honolulu high school are being banned from the upcoming graduation ceremony and could face criminal charges after vandals were caught on video defacing school property. ADVERTISING HONOLULU (AP) — Twelve seniors at a
HONOLULU (AP) — Twelve seniors at a Honolulu high school are being banned from the upcoming graduation ceremony and could face criminal charges after vandals were caught on video defacing school property.
The Moanalua High School students have been identified as suspects in the incident that occurred early Tuesday and are under investigation. Police have opened second-degree criminal property damage and second-degree burglary cases.
Officials said the vandalism discovered Tuesday morning included spray paint on multiple buildings and a driver’s education vehicle, a water fountain ripped off a wall and trees covered with toilet paper.
“The act of vandalism is a criminal act. To damage state property is unacceptable,” said Department of Education spokeswoman Donalyn Dela Cruz. “We have a Board of Education policy on what we expect when it comes to our graduates, to be positive, contributing citizens when they graduate. This does not reflect the public school graduate that we hope to raise.”
School officials said the students will not be able to participate in Friday’s commencement.
Dela Cruz praised school staff in a statement “for taking immediate action in cleaning up the campus and for appropriate actions against the students.”
