11 Kept From Graduation for Distributing Racist Flyers : Vandalism: Glendale High principal says incident is isolated and the students are not affiliated with gangs or hate groups.

GLENDALE — Glendale High School has suspended 11 seniors and barred them from graduation ceremonies for vandalizing, trespassing and distributing racist flyers on campus in an early morning raid last week.

School Principal Jim Gibson described the June 11 incident as isolated and said the students who participated are not affiliated with any gang or racist group.

“They were out to do a typical prank and it got away from them,” Gibson said.

School officials say the students wrapped toilet paper around school facilities, damaged a tree planted in memory of a deceased teacher, squirted mustard into locks, dumped cow manure, scattered 100 flyers across campus and scrawled graffiti.

While most of the derogatory messages were aimed at school officials, several were racist in tone, Gibson said, including “We need more white people in Glendale” and “KKK.”

Gibson said he believes that all those involved were identified but he would not disclose how.

He said a number of other students received phone calls soliciting them to take part in the incident but that some fell asleep before the activity and others decided not to join. Glendale Police were called early the following morning when administrators discovered the damage.

Police questioned the students and released those who were 18 and older but held the minors until their parents came to pick them up. Police are still investigating the incident and have not decided whether to file charges. Should any of the students be charged, it would probably be for vandalism, rather than hate crimes, which require the targeting of individuals, said police spokesman Lief Nicolaisen.

“The elements of a hate crime at this time don’t appear to be there,” Nicolaisen said. “However, it does seem to display cultural and racial insensitivity.”

By the time students arrived for class, most of the flyers had been retrieved. Nonetheless, many students denounced the incident and said it did not reflect the beliefs of the majority of students at Glendale High School, school officials said.

This week, Gibson met with parents of the 11 students, who have been suspended for the last five days of school and prohibited from attending graduation today.

Gibson said the students can make arrangements to take their final exams and receive their diplomas privately.