No more toilet papering for Homecoming

2013’s vandalism leads to celebration prohibition in 2014

RBs old main entrance was looking much different from this time a year ago, when the school was defaced with littered furniture, pornographic images, profanity, and more.

Photo illustration by Dan Mancoff

RB’s old main entrance was looking much different from this time a year ago, when the school was defaced with littered furniture, pornographic images, profanity, and more.

Steven Baer, Editor-in-Chief

PA announcements this week have reminded students that RB administrators have been enforcing precautionary measures that would prevent any kind of non-school sponsored celebratory Homecoming activities, including toilet papering and egging. This of course comes in response to 2013’s infamous homecoming vandalism that cost the school roughly $3,000 in damages. Some of the offenses included spray-painting the building, super-gluing school doors, egging, and the release of four live chickens on school property.

Despite the school’s crackdown on celebration this year, some students believe it is worth it.

“It was disrespectful,” an adamant Jacob Lucas said, ”It was hard to clean up, and it cost the school a lot of money.”

The damage done was ugly enough to garner the attention of several big time news networks like ABC and WGN.

“It definitely didn’t make the school look great, so I guess [the prevention of celebratory activities] could be justified, because of how crazy kids got last year,” Lucas said.

In the aftermath of the vandalism, dozens of RB students faced disciplinary actions and two eventually faced criminal charges.

Although the class of 2015 recognizes the events that transpired last year were wrong, many students firmly believe that they are being linked to people with whom they had no association.

Senior Brian Kulaga said, “I think last year was an outlying situation, whereas this senior class is much better and should not have to be punished for last year’s classes actions.”

While some students have all but given up their chances of continuing the RB senior class’s lengthy tradition of toilet papering the school, others still wish for a compromise.

“[The administration] should have [John] Passarella or some administrator supervising, and let us still [toilet paper] the school at least, and not just cancel it completely,” said senior Kaitlyn Barcal.

Regardless, with Homecoming week half over, it looks like bringing back the toilet paper will have to wait for a future celebration.

Want to read more?  Check out the 2013-14 Clarion’s staff editorial regarding the act of vandalism.