• The Board of Education reports that damages are less expensive than originally thought.
Although it won’t cost quite as much to repair Thursday’s senior prank damage at East Columbus, 24 students have been suspended.
The large group of students entered a back door at East Columbus Junior Senior High School early Thursday, pouring maple syrup, cooking oil and honey throughout the building. Multiple rolls of toilet paper were spread down hallways. Eggs were thrown at walls and in some cases the ceiling.
Honey was poured into two printer-copiers. Damages to the machines was originally estimated at more than $40,000, but those estimates have been lowered, Kelly Jones of the Columbus County schools said.
“The copiers do not appear to need to be replaced,” Jones said in an email.
Some classes were displaced while school personnel from around the county came in to help clean up the mess. Classes were back in regular session Friday, and the weekend’s production of the musical Moana by the Arts department went on as scheduled.
The schools’ security cameras apparently recorded much of the mischief, helping to identify the students who were involved.
The school system and the sheriff’s office have not announced if charges will be filed in the case.
