[UPDATE: Superintendent Scott Cooper contacted SweetwaterNOW after the initial publication of this article. It has been updated with further information he provided.]
GREEN RIVER — Friday has turned into a tumultuous day for students in Green River as Sweetwater County School District No. 2 has dealt with online threats at Lincoln Middle School and a senior prank that allegedly went too far at Green River High School.
According to a statement issued by Superintendent Scott Cooper, an unnamed LMS student made threats online. The administration brought in the Green River Police Department to help assist the district, with the GRPD reporting it had already investigated and intervened in the situation the prior evening. Cooper said that intervention gave the administration the confidence to move forward with the school day.
At Green River High School, Cooper said administrators were informed before sunrise that a group of seniors had gone into the high school overnight and “committed acts of significant vandalism throughout the school.”
“The damage was severe enough that we initially considered a delayed start for the high school,” Cooper said.”
Cooper said a rapid response by the district’s custodial and grounds crews, working alongside other staff at the school allowed them to clean up a majority of the building before students arrived. First period classes on the school’s third floor were relocated to the cafeteria to allow for cleanup efforts, with the building being fully accessible by second period.
Cooper told SweetwaterNOW that a substance he believes to be baby oil was poured down the stairs leading to the third floor, while eggs, hot dogs, ketchup and mustard were spread on the exterior of the building. He said a group of students had also stacked furniture behind doors, sprinkled confetti and balloons around and hung a banner identifying it as a senior prank. The wolves in front of the high school were dressed up as well.
“A lot of it was fun,” Cooper said. “What concerned me was the safety of it.”
He said administrators are reviewing footage from security cameras to identify the students involved. He said administrators will have conversations with students and parents Friday and Monday, saying administrators plan to reach resolutions with them. He said he isn’t sure what will be proposed yet, but said prohibiting students from walking at graduation is one of the possible penalties under consideration. Cooper admits he doesn’t like that option and said it’s something parents are concerned with, but said it is an option he has at his disposal. He said other options include having the students perform work restitution.
