COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (WSVN) — A food fight intended as a senior prank at a South Florida high school spiraled out of control, Friday, leaving officials and returning students stuck cleaning up the mess.
Students at Monarch High in Coconut Creek recorded cellphone video as a food fight ensued in the cafeteria. “It’s complete anarchy, to be honest,” said junior Alexander Gonzales.
Gonzales said he was buying lunch when the food started flying. “As I’m looking that way, something hits me,” he said touching his head.
The food fight was supposed to be a senior prank. However, a stampede then broke out. Students posted videos on social media of the chaos and of students running for cover.
Thousands of dollars worth of damage was left behind. Some students think the prank went too far. “Pranks are supposed to be funny. I didn’t think that people would actually go that far,” said senior Sarina Nunes.
Crews were left to clean up the aftermath. Graffiti was sprayed on windows, locks were glued in with Super Glue and dead fish were left in vending machines, totaling about $25,000 in damages. “That’s crazy. I don’t know, is the school gonna pay for that?” said junior Dequan Banks. “That’s gonna be kinda bad if the school has to pay for something the seniors did.”
Administrators said they are working with police to find those responsible. Students who will be returning in the fall said they now have to work to clean up the mess the class of 2016 left behind. “They should have held back a little bit,” said junior Jonathan Roger. “The pranks, they just kept coming and coming.”
Others said the seniors didn’t think about how their actions would affect students next year. “They ruined it for pretty much everyone else, to be honest,” Gonzales said.
Broward County Public Schools released a statement that reads in part: “Regarding today’s student disruptions during lunch, the situation was brought under control quickly by school leadership. Students determined to have been involved in the cafeteria incident will face appropriate school discipline.”
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