Freshman Leave School To Avoid Attack By Cheerleaders (Urine Balloons)

[matcom]

<snip>

The start of a new school year has been a nightmare for some female students who say they've been targeted by older students who allegedly threatened to toss urine-filled balloons at them.

About one dozen ninth-graders left Lakeview High School in St. Clair Shores on Monday because they feared for their safety, according to students and their parents. They met with school administrators and police officials but were not satisfied with the outcome.

"I will see Lakeview shut down before I let my daughter go back there because I don't feel it's safe for her to go there right now," said Karen Wlodeck, whose two daughters were allegedly threatened by other female students.

Parents said they were also concerned about the so-called "freshmen kill day," where older students typically pull pranks on younger ones.

But parents said the pranks go beyond hazing that goes on in many campuses across the country because a group of varsity cheerleaders allegedly threatened to assault the girls with urine or bleach packed in water pistols or balloons.

No assaults have been reported, according to police and school officials.

Lt. Robert McCarron of the St. Clair Shores Police Department said a preliminary investigation has turned up unsubstantiated rumors. He said police are keeping an eye on the situation.

"We don't want people inciting a media frenzy over something that may not be there," he said.

Both the high school and the police department are located on 11 Mile Road.

http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/091206/loc_cheer001.shtml

[zcflint09]

1. Am I the only one that really doubts this is happening?

There's always tons of talk, but I never had an issue as a Freshman in high school interacting with upperclassmen. There's more to the story.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. I don't necessarily doubt it.

I was a cheerleading coach back in the 80's and some of those girls were horrific in the way they behaved towards others. I tossed two off the team for picking on a freshman who was, well, let's say, less than attractive.

Their mothers went batshit, but I wouldn't let them back.

[LostinVA]

5. I completely believe this is happening

I went to a very white, very "nice" rural high school... and there was a Freshmen Hazing Day every year... it was more like a Sadist Allowance Day. Girls had Nair sprayed in their hair, lipstick smeared all over their clothes, etc. For some reason, it was mainly girls who were hazed badly. Even though it wasn't allowed, the Admin did nothing about it. Some teachers and coaches busted alot of the "pranksters," though... and sent them to detention.

Most of the people I know -- from all over the US -- had something like this at their school.

[Midlodemocrat]

6. Wow. That is horrible.

I sure hope this isn't happening any more. My son is a freshman this year. :scared:

[LostinVA]

7. Alot of stuff happened on the buses, too

However, our cross country coach stated that ANYONE participating in hazing would be thrown off the team, and also not allowed to run track in the Spring. Even if they did it to a non-team member. She also patrolled the halls and busted anyone doing any of this crap.

She rocked.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

9. We had this at my high school . It was called " Grip Week"

It was always homecoming week that it was called "Freshmen Grip Week" - I remember hearing stories from the upperclassmen and even though I was a female (they did'nt do anything to the girls,only the freshmen boys)I was scared as hell. But when homecoming week came - it was so bad for all the freshmen. I remember one boy named Lance was put into a trashcan by some upperclassmen several times that week. And then that Thursday at band practice (the day before homecoming) all hell broke loose -I remember the upperclassmen boys tore all the freshman boys apart. We were in the band room and all of a sudden the lights went off and someone yelled "Grip Time" (I don't know where our band director was)I saw all these guys get pommeled and chased. Instruments flew everywhere. I went outside and saw them chasing the guys for mercy and one guy got really hurt. It was so bad.

[ComerPerro]

16. And, like you said, its not just "bad" schools that have this

I also went to a fairly rich, nice, white High School, and those people there were twisted. They hazed the crap out of freshmen, and no one really cared.

Also, drug usage was rampant..

[SteppingRazor]

11. At my high school, some seniors threw a freshman into a grated locker...

and then peed on him when he was trapped inside. So, yeah, I can certainly see this happening


(And, no, I was not that freshman.)

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Yeah, those parents look like some real intellectual heavyweights.

Gee, do you think the fruit falls far from the tree?

[MiniMandaRuth]

4. I understand being afraid of school...

And one of my dear friends was targeted in the Freshman Hunt (I saved his butt from being dumped into a trashcan), but... well...

This seems a little much. But I think there is a little more to this story.

[Efilroft Sul]

8. As a former cheerleader...

...George W. Bush would probably approve of these pranks.

The cheerleaders will probably become blonde Republican fembots.

[underpants]

10. Great potential band name

Ladies and Gentelmen...the Urine Balloons!!!

I can see some spiked hair pinhead asking them now "And what does your band name come from" at which point actually having some urine balloons handy would be really great.

[SteppingRazor]

12. Ack... worst question you can ever ask a band

Followed closely by "Tell me what those lyrics mean." :eyes:

[underpants]

14. Who are your influences?

the follow up here should be-really then why don't you sound anything like them?

[Tyler Durden]

13. South Lake Jr. High, 9 mile road, near Mack Ave., 1966.

Eight Grade. Two brothers held me in a Gym Class Shower, while a friend of theirs pissed on me. They tried to see how close to my face they could get.

High School was definitely no day at the beach either.

[Book Lover]

15. Chalk up one more reason to homeschool (nm)

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. Yeah, and the kids of this parents who worry about it now...

are going to be the ones doing it to freshmen when they're upperclassmen.

[mark414]

18. if we don't stop the terror of urine filled balloons in high school

then we fill have to fight the terror of urine filled balloons in junior high

when my little brother was a senior a couple years ago, as has been the tradition for years, he and his classmates were planning an arsenal of water balloons for the last day of school to basically get everyone who wasn't a senior. though that year there was a new principal and she wanted to prove how tough she was and came out saying that it was a dire threat to student safety and that anyone who threw a water balloon would not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony...there were parents claiming that they feared letting their kids go to school! for a water balloon! horror of horrors i might get wet!

americans are a bunch of pussies these days

[cwydro]

21. I don't throw things at people

and don't want things thrown at me. If I had kids I would feel even more strongly...if that makes me a "pussy", so be it.

[mark414]

22. it's water!

well in the above article, it's not, but it's freaking water!

lighten up!

[qnr]

19. When I first woke up and saw this, many hours ago, I was wondering "Why

would cheerleaders be attacking fishermen"? Got even worse when I saw that there were urine-filled balloons being thrown at the "fishermen"

[Broken_Hero]

20. It happens...

I'm more inclined to believe it, than not too...my high school, freshman year was 91, and there was quite a bit of hazing..freshman heads put in urine filled toilets, tossed into garbage cans upside down, and pissed on...things like that. And no, I wasn't one of those freshman...my size saved me...