Many of you may know, on Thursday October 1, a smoke canister was set off in the custodian’s hallway of SKHS, coincidentally the first day of New England Common Assessment Program testing for juniors.
Minutes after the smoke canister was initiated, the unsuspected happened, a worried administrator yanked the fire alarm upon noticing the smoke.
When my class was evacuated, we logically thought that we were partaking in yet another tedious fire drill. However, once we noticed the smell of smoke and saw fire trucks rushing to the school, we thought otherwise.
After an hour of sitting outside, students headed back to their classes. Although many students were happy to miss some class time, the administrators were furious that both class and NECAP schedules were disrupted.
Logically, one would assume the culprits would be juniors who thought testing was “stupid” and a waste of time. However, days later justice answered, and the culprits were found.
To the disbelief of students and faculty, the “smoke canister kids” happened to be two senior boys, how shocking! Many wondered why two seniors would choose to disrupt NECAP testing that they did not even have to take? Why would they risk expulsion and ultimately risk their hopes of graduating high school or attending college?
Personally, I do not have the faintest idea of their motives on that October morning. Maybe they felt like being reckless and irresponsible. Possibly, they wanted to go down in SKHS history as martyrs who sacrificed themselves for all the students who despise taking the infamous NECAPS.
Despite their motives, the “smoke canister kids” were reckless and irresponsible with their actions, and simply unjustified. The consequences of the incident affected the education of the students, plans of teachers and faculty and the precious time and resources of the town, especially its courageous policeman and firefighters.
The “smoke canister” caused NECAPS to be postponed for juniors, and class time to be disrupted for freshman, sophomores and seniors. Worst of all, administrators had to create another schedule for NECAP testing.
NECAP testing was pushed back into the afternoon. The morning NECAP was a writing section reflecting the teaching and learning of the school.
Administrators were angry because typically students score considerably higher on tests taken in the morning versus tests taken in the afternoon. Thanks to the “smoke canister incident,” the students were forced to take the morning NECAP writing section in the afternoon. Unfortunately, this may have caused lower test scores, and possibly affect the school’s standing in the state.
Based on the consequences of the “smoke canister incident,” it was nothing but a waste of time and money for all. The only accomplishment of the “smoke canister” was that it disrupted NECAP testing and that it wasted the time of brave policemen and fire fighters.
In the end, the infamous “smoke canister kids” should not be regarded as heroes or martyrs, but merely as a duo of irresponsible morons.
If another student is thinking about performing a similar feat, do not even bother. Just like the two senior moronic boys, you will be caught. Ultimately, you do not want to be regarded like the bone heads on October 1, as a kid who wasted the time of his fellow students, teachers, policemen and fire fighters.
Girls
