The last two weeks have no doubt been difficult for the students who have admitted doing $10,000 in damages to Cape Elizabeth High School.

The vandalism has generated a lot of media attention and lead to the closing of the school last Monday, as well as disciplinary hearings this week in front of the school board. The students may also face legal repercussions, if and when the district attorney decides to bring charges in the case.

The inclination among many in the community seems to be to protect the 10 teenagers. Many students have characterized the vandalism as a prank that went too far and those responsible as good kids. One mother, who was not a parent of any of the teenagers, even spoke out on their behalf outside of one of the disciplinary hearings Monday.

“I don’t want these kids’ futures damaged,” said Carolyn Homa. “I think the fear involved is enough. I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt… I can’t imagine what these poor families are going through.”

While the sentiment expressed by Homa and others is understandable, these teenagers are responsible for a little more than a minor transgression. If the accusations are true, they broke into the school, placed tape over the security cameras, and proceeded to remove ceiling tiles, stuff furniture into the bathrooms and write profane graffiti on the walls.

The frustration of Superintendent Alan Hawkins was palpable in an interview the day after the vandalism was discovered. While he acknowledged senior pranks are a tradition at Cape Elizabeth High School, it was obvious this one had gone way, way too far. He indicated that he might possibly be seeking expulsion for the students.

His frustration and that repercussion were justifiable. School administrators, teachers and school board members have had to fight for every penny in the school budget in recent years to support the educational programs in Cape. To come into school on a Monday morning and find furniture broken, ceiling tiles removed and graffiti on the walls must have been upsetting. That’s not a prank; that’s vandalism.

In Maine, that’s a crime, and in life, when you commit those, there are repercussions. When people’s actions disrupt life for the rest of the community – canceling school and destroying public property – that draws attention.

No one’s saying these are bad kids. More than likely, they are just young people who made a mistake, as young people often do. The repercussions should not follow them for the rest of their lives. They should be allowed to graduate and go on to successful futures.

However, giving up the privilege of attending school with the rest of their class for what remains of the school year, along with doing some community service, is a reasonable punishment. At the risk of sounding like a schoolmarm, it also might teach them a lesson.

Brendan Moran, editor