Marryatville High School students banned from Year 12 graduation ceremony after allegedly trashing property on muck-up day

The Education Department has refuted claims by Marryatville students that only three Year 12s were involved in vandalism that saw nearly 16 banned from their graduation ceremony.

A group of Marryatville High School students have been banned from their graduation ceremony tonight and Year 12 breakfast tomorrow after vandalising their campus in the early hours of their muck-up day on Friday.

The students spray-painted a cricket pitch and windows, burnt tables, glued door locks, overturned bins, emptied some lockers and glad-wrapped others, egged and put duct tape on walls and threw toilet paper around the place.

Police were informed but the school has decided not to take legal action over the trespassing and vandalism. It has however, suspended the students for up to five days, forcing them to miss their graduation celebrations.

An online petition to have the punishments overturned, which already has more than 1000 supporters, claims a large group is being targeted when only two students did the serious vandalism.

One student, a friend of many of those suspended who wished to remain anonymous, told The Advertiser it was three who did the damage while the other 13 did nothing.

He said they were sleeping in cars near the school grounds after a night out in the city.

“It is unfair. I do feel for the boys. They’ve done nothing wrong at all and they’ve been accused.”

But the school and the Education Department are standing firm.

“The school conducted extensive interviews and suspensions have been given to students who have admitted involvement and/or been credibly implicated by their peers,” Education Department eastern suburbs director Greg Petherick said.

“Despite a number of warnings that end-of-year pranks would have disciplinary consequences, 16 students wilfully trespassed and vandalised ...in the early hours of Friday morning.

“The students are 17 and 18 years of age and old enough to take responsibility for their actions.

“The group will be able to sit exams and graduate, but they will not be allowed to attend the graduation ceremony or Year 12 breakfast.

“It’s a shame that this has detracted from what has been an excellent year for the school and the 265 Year 12s.

“I’m very confident this won’t be a distraction ahead of the SACE exams and we’re looking forward to students finishing the year strongly.”

A department spokesman added: “Suspensions range from three to five days depending on the level of vandalism they were involved in. All students can still access their teachers for exam and course work support during the suspension. They will sit their exams as normal.”

The petition says “up to 20” students have been unfairly banned from graduation for “non-destructive” antics, when only two students deserved to be suspended.

“Common muck-up stunts include duct tape, sauce, shaving cream, balloons, posters etc which are usually acceptable as they can be cleaned or removed,” the petition says.

Marryatville High School grounds. Picture: File

“Two of the 20 suspended students actually burnt tables, poured trash out of every can in the school and glued doors shut. Which as a year level we do not support or condone. Therefore we don’t blame the school for suspending them. That’s just foul.

“However the approximately 18 others involved were basically innocent. Many of them are extremely high academic achievers and were meant to be receiving awards at graduation for their efforts this year.

“Students who we have watched turn into amazing young adults in the past five years have had their once-off moment taken away from them!

“We want to graduate with our friends. The friends who did not ruin the school property or defame our school.”

One boy has written on the petition page that he was “wrongly accused”.

Some schools hire extra security guards to prevent muck-up day antics, which the department says are banned.