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Senior class photo spells trouble

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by Shern-Min Chow / 11 News

khou.com

Posted on January 19, 2010 at 7:49 PM

Updated Wednesday, Jan 20 at 11:24 AM

HOUSTON – What happens when you drop the C and the L from class? You get in trouble, that’s what.

Three Cypress Ridge High School students were suspended and fined $135 each for allegedly pulling a prank in the senior class photo.

Seniors posed for the panoramic photos last month. First, there was a formal picture with students in the front row wearing t-shirts that spelled out "Class of 2010."

The second panoramic was an informal shot. The students were allowed to move around so they rearranged themselves, leaving only "ass" on the front row.

"I heard C and L ran off. That’s not ass’s fault. That’s C and L’s fault, said senior Austin Knight. "It was funny and they shouldn’t have been punished."

But it was the three students wearing A, S and S that got in trouble. Along with the fine and suspension, they lost their positions as officers for various clubs.

"S" man George Bermudez, who was the senior class secretary, said it was an accident.

Cy-Fair ISD officials didn’t buy that story.

In a statement, the district said: "Three students were disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. "

Some students agree with the district’s decision.

"I didn’t really think anything of it because it was supposed to be a funny picture, though it was ignorant and disrespectful," said Raymond Carrigan, also a senior.

"They messed up. I know they feel bad they did it," said senior Calvin Brown.

The fines will help pay for retouching and reprinting the panoramic for all 636 seniors.

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Comments: Displaying 1 - 15 of 50

mom_shelly said on January 25, 2010 at 11:04 AM

This is purely stupid. First off, if going to be punishment, perhaps the fool who allowed the kids to spell class on their shirts individually should be to blame for not anticipating this prank, or the C & L who are just as much to blame for leaving as the A, S, & S are for staying, should have been punished equally. 2nd, it takes all of 5 minutes max to photoshop out the word, for me and I suck at photo editing. 3rd, where were the administrators and the photographer to not notice this until print time? Poor supervision I think. As to telling these kids to grow up, or that they need to take responsibility for their actions--did you forget the giddy excitement that most of us felt as graduation approached. These kids will have to either buck down and study their butts off for the next 2-8 years in college/grad school or buck down and go to work full time. It is basically their last chance for goofing off. Let us not grow so old that we forget what it is like to young!

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oleladydevine said on January 22, 2010 at 10:55 PM

You would thing that someone in the school administration would think that if the students were allowed to move that those wearing the shirts spelling "Class or 2010" might just possibly rearrange themselves also. They are the ones who should be punished, not the the students who just happened to be wearing the shirts.

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badbob80 said on January 22, 2010 at 9:22 PM

Good ol' Cy-Fair administration and the Knee-Jerk Reaction - GETS 'EM EVERY TIME! Things haven't changed a bit since my son went to Lowery Elementary...

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badbob80 said on January 22, 2010 at 9:18 PM

Long, long ago, when I graduated and our class posed for their panoramic shot (690 seniors - BIG shot) a funny thing happened - the guy who was on the left end of the front row waited until the camera had "panned" him, then he took off running around the back side of the bleachers we were posed on, and got to the RIGHT side, front row, just in time to get photographed again! So he showed up TWICE in the same photo. Funny thing is, no one noticed for months. By that time we were DOWN THE ROAD...

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thinkingtexan said on January 22, 2010 at 3:59 PM

first where were the teachers...are the blind? fire them....cut the costs...how could you not see that was it tooooo small ......? they were out drinking maybe.....were is the leadership......kids do pranks......are sckols under no leadership......let the principle pay he or she was in charge and under direction...no......if fighting the are suspended.....school personal should also and no pay also..........deny accountability......was the principle clinton or ? sad state of affairs at that school

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afterlatergater said on January 22, 2010 at 1:23 PM

good grief...........

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kailie_2010 said on January 20, 2010 at 9:34 PM

she says college wasn't effected but acctually the conselors that wrote the recemendation letters call the colleges they were going to and said nevermind!! it's completely stupid, and soo not news worthy!! lol but whatever it was funny and the administers are just over reacting!

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cyridgeparent said on January 20, 2010 at 7:59 PM

Cy Ridge is getting a reputation for being a prison rather than a school. The administration at Ridge takes no responsibility for it's actions, yet they are very quick to harshly discipline thier honor students. This isn't the first time they have over re-acted. Unfortunately it's the first time they got called out for it. I admit there should have been a punishment, but once again Ridge takes it to the extreme.

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ilmpb said on January 20, 2010 at 5:01 PM

Wait a minute - first I was going to say that while funny, they might have ruined the picture for those that did not think this was funny. But in the article it says this was the 2nd shot, the "do what you want" shot. They didn't pull the prank on the first, formal shot. And the school says that now they have to spend money retouching the 2nd funny shot? Why can't they just publish the formal 1st shot?

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trip7 said on January 20, 2010 at 4:54 PM

Cy-Fair ISD officials are just bein a @$$

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gonzald11 said on January 20, 2010 at 3:47 PM

At least they spelled it right! I agree with most folks here: Just a senior class prank - should have let it go. It is obvious that the supervising adults knew what was going down when it happened and also thought it was just a fun prank. But I guess it only takes one negative complaint to threaten "lawsuit" to force the schools hand to punish. It's a shame it spoiled the fun. Especially when there were two photos to choose from for buying. Offended?...don't buy it!

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article_19 said on January 20, 2010 at 2:57 PM

Lol ! I did this when I was in high school. In fact I was in four different spots in the serior picture. A little drama but a fine was never sought out. Cypress is dirty like this. Its all about money these days. In this day and age we are runing business not schools. My son has to wear a uniform everyday of the week. If he wears anything short of what is written in the student hand book, he gets detention or suspended. However when the school needs petty cash, they tell kids that they are allowed to wear whatever they want on Friday for three dollars. Why are they allowed to bend the runs for money ? In Cypress if your son or daughter gets their cell phone picked up from a teacher, they can pick it up from the main office after paying a $15 inconvenience fee. What a joke !!

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houmomof2 said on January 20, 2010 at 12:55 PM

Wow, that is an effective use of taxpayer money, to go after students for an innocent prank, when there are idiot students bringing drugs and loaded weapons to school. I am serious, what is the harm in this? Law enforcement and school officials are way off on this one. Go find something more important to focus on, like keeping our campuses safe and drug free.

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maxquig said on January 20, 2010 at 11:49 AM

Hey, everybody has one. Why is the word so bad? Nobody was insulted. No wonder Johnny can't read. School administrations are too stupid to know how to spend their time at school.

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jiggy_poo said on January 20, 2010 at 11:13 AM

So what happens if they don't pay the fines? Jail time. They don't get to walk across the stage? Whatever leave it alone.

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bran1074 said on January 20, 2010 at 11:04 AM

LOL!! thats funny!! its just an innocent prank done by typical Seniors who are excited about leaving high school and moving forward in life. Don't spoil it by fining them; just don't publish the picture! DUH!

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krusty_krab said on January 20, 2010 at 11:03 AM

Glad my Senior group picture didn't have bozo's like these messing it up. Those involved were only thinking of themselves, and how "cute" they'ed look. No respect for fellow classmates, or their school!!!

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1usa1 said on January 20, 2010 at 10:46 AM

Fined?? What authority do they have to fine kids??

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pepper5 said on January 20, 2010 at 10:18 AM

Let's remember these are seniors, these kids are graduating. It wasn't like they were drop outs spraying graffiti or tagging gang signs on sides of buildings. They stayed in school, from the sound of it they worked hard while in school, and probably wanted to goof off a little to celebrate the work they put in all these years. Obviously the administration at Cypress Ridge were never young or knew what fun was back in the early 1900's. Maybe their idea of fun was headin to the holler with their cane pole and skipping rocks. Ease up people....sheesh.

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goodguy said on January 20, 2010 at 10:17 AM

So let me see, kids have just spent 12 years in school and they are about to graduate!! hmmm! no drugs, no violence, no pregnancy, just kids being kids!! Reward them with money for completing school and let them know that they have accomplished the first stage of there life, but punish them for something as harmless as a word... come on! For real!!

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raymon said on January 20, 2010 at 10:01 AM

This should not even be news! The technology we have had for a long time can fix the picture or do anything they want to it! It should have been taken care of internally with the parents and kids!

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patrick53 said on January 20, 2010 at 9:50 AM

vet2be1973, I'm confused. Are you saying that since they were under 18 (not sure if this is the case), they don't have the same rights? (No age restriction mentioned in the 1st amendment) Then you say that with Rights comes responsibilities? If they don't have the Right of free speech, how can they be responsible for the picture? The parents turn their children over to the State for indoctrination, that makes the State responsible for this horrible crime. Fine the school administrators.

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surefoot1 said on January 20, 2010 at 9:49 AM

Yea. Same old attitude. Never the kids fault..And we wonder why our schools are in trouble. Maybe parents need to grow up.

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vet2be1973 said on January 20, 2010 at 9:46 AM

And yes, this was an overreaction by the school. If they want to make the students responsible pay for retaking the photo or touching up the photo to remove the "offensive" word, then do so. But the other disciplinary actions were ridiculous.

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madworld15 said on January 20, 2010 at 9:43 AM

I'm sorry, but we think it's freaking hysterical. I know a few people I went to school with who would've done something like that. Who ever said kids are not allowed to have fun and are required to be so serious is exactly right. When I was in school for example, lunch was a time to eat and interact w/friends and what not. Not now, they have to be quiet and eat lunch and then wonder why students are loud in class AFTER lunch. These schools really need to find more important things to focus on such as gang related activity.

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msyellarose1 said on January 20, 2010 at 9:43 AM

There is much to be said about maturity. You're about to go out into the world guys, time to stop fooling around.

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vet2be1973 said on January 20, 2010 at 9:43 AM

As for first amendment rights, until people are 18 and fully responsible in a court of law, they should not have the same rights as those who are 18 or older. With rights come responsibilities, and too many people conveniently forget that.

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kurtaz said on January 20, 2010 at 9:35 AM

Someone at the school has too much time on their hands. If this is the worst thing happening at Cypress Ridge they are fortunate. Hey Techer - Leave them kids alone!

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rocket_munkey said on January 20, 2010 at 9:31 AM

its a high school prank... i dont think anyone was physicaly hurt!?!?!

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aaronhavens1244 said on January 20, 2010 at 8:56 AM

i think the school overreacted

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jusmyopinion said on January 20, 2010 at 8:08 AM

Kids can't have fun anymore. They are always expected to be so serious all the time. The photographer isn't punished for taking the picture and the school administrator isn't punished for letting it happen but the kids are punished......? Hmmm....... !!

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justdad said on January 20, 2010 at 7:59 AM

Since when do schools get to levey fines? Is there a court? A judge or jury? Seems to me the ones punished are the parents, as is often the case. Administrators will not accept any responsibilty for allowing this to take place. One other thought comes to mind, why didn't the photgographer photoshop the offensive letters out? Seems like that would have been simple.I remember, (from a long time ago!) two guys from my senior class pulling a prank. They started on one end of the riser then as the camera panned they moved to the other. Once there, they gave, shall we say, a hand salute1 Needless to say, they got some pops, and dettention. They were not fined, nor suspended. The photographer was able to remove their gesture from the image, and the pictures were printed.

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patrick53 said on January 20, 2010 at 7:25 AM

A fine? Sure looks like a violation of their 1st Amendment Rights to me. I'm sure that this was not the only picture in the shoot that was not acceptable for the publication. Students were allowed to move around for the 2nd shot....allowed by whom? Why isn't this individual to blame?

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texan2112 said on January 20, 2010 at 3:32 AM

The photographer is ultimately to blame here. He pulled the trigger. He arranged the group. He should have noticed this since it was on the front row.

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jim375 said on January 20, 2010 at 3:13 AM

dont they have more pressing matters to worry about? i think they are all a bunch of classes without the c an l for the punishment of something that may or may have not been accidental

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karoakequeen said on January 20, 2010 at 12:03 AM

The one's that should be fined are the adults in charge of the photo shoot that failed to notice that there were a few missing lettters right in the front row and the letters looked pretty big to me. Looks like someone forgot to wear their glasses on picture day.

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cfisd4change said on January 19, 2010 at 11:00 PM

Choose your battles and leave these seniors alone. Great memory as far as I'm concerned, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Administration at CFISD should find some way other than fining the kids for their income.

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foxfroggy said on January 19, 2010 at 10:33 PM

Publishing the picture is just plain dumb. These kids wanted attention for a puerile prank and KHOU gave it to them.

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senior2010 said on January 19, 2010 at 10:21 PM

I will tell u where they were since I was there, they were bout right in front of them laughing bout it....

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herdincats said on January 19, 2010 at 9:56 PM

Looks to me like the letters were pretty big. Why didn't the photographer think..".hummm, that doesn't look right, might not be a good idea to take this picture". And as someone else asked, where was a school administrator? This was a teenage prank that is being taken way to serious.

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jdetexas said on January 19, 2010 at 9:24 PM

I 've already graduated, I wish I had thought of something like that.

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senior2010 said on January 19, 2010 at 9:17 PM

Ask where the administration was? And yeah ppl want a good memory but that is one. and that pic should not interfere with their future...

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raveon said on January 19, 2010 at 8:53 PM

Some folks paid a good price for these photos. Maybe the others, not involved, would like to have a nice photo memory.

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retiredtexan said on January 19, 2010 at 8:29 PM

It looks like something I would have done, but we didn't have enough students to spell class. I finished in the early 50s in a very small school, so lets not make a big deal out of nothing. Remember we were at one time all teens, let it be.

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dgstal said on January 19, 2010 at 8:21 PM

Folks now a days are entirely to uptight and busy being politically correct. This country is turning into apologist wussies.

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mastrun said on January 19, 2010 at 8:21 PM

Leave it KHOU for writing a stupid story.

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sparky925 said on January 19, 2010 at 8:20 PM

oh who cares. People making a big deal of nothing...

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denise1970 said on January 19, 2010 at 8:08 PM

Teacher, leave those kids alone!

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a_fort said on January 19, 2010 at 8:05 PM

what idiots. Kids cant even have fun.

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denise1970 said on January 19, 2010 at 7:57 PM

So what. They are kids. Leave them alone.

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