Schoharie Central School buses were delayed by 25 to 55 minutes Monday morning because of a prank played by students.
As part of an apparent “senior prank,” five to seven students filled the lobby by the library with balloons and then four students removed the core of the valve stems in the front tires of 20 66-passenger buses, said Superintendent Brian Sherman.
School was not delayed Monday.
The students taped the door open to the lobby and were seen on surveillance cameras at 12:19am Monday, he said. It is not known whether the students who let the air out of the bus tires were among the same who filled the lobby with balloons.
The students who pulled the balloon prank have admitted it, he said, and interviews and a study of the surveillance tape continues.
SCS mechanics and maintenance workers used Schoharie County equipment to refill the tires quickly but the equipment left marks in the pavements that will have to be repaired before the parking lot can be resealed this summer, Mr. Sherman said.
Once the students who caused the bus delay are identified, there are likely to be charges because there was a delay and damage to the parking lot, Mr. Sherman said.
School punishments will be up to administrators, he said. If the students are seniors, they may not be allowed to walk across the stage at graduation. Suspension could prevent students from taking their Regents, which could force an August graduation.
The balloons and other similar senior pranks, like putting hay bales in some parking spaces earlier this week, are not a problem, Mr. Sherman said, but the bus delay and subsequent damage is more serious.