Rarely in life do they get the chance to play to a larger or more attentive audience. Few things make principals more nervous. As a result, districts have come up with a variety of ways to prevent the pranksters from getting the laughs they seek. Schools use everything from signed behavior contracts to metal detectors to persuade seniors to sit tight, walk gracefully and, for heaven's sake, not do a cartwheel. By the time graduation rolls around, some seniors assume they are finally beyond the reach of academic law.
Most pranks tend to be on the minor side.
The Irving school district relies on more than simple trust to keep students in line. After we're done, they can celebrate for the rest of their lives, and they should. But at the ceremony, we want to make sure everybody gets the recognition they deserve in the way they deserve. Ladewig remembered one time several years ago when a student planned a bit of performance art as he walked across the stage. People didn't ever hear his name called.