‘Purge’-themed senior prank at Phoenix school turning heads online

PHOENIX — Eyebrows were raised this week after students played a senior prank at a Phoenix charter school and posted a video that showed simulated violence online.

Though students, parents and school officials were aware of the prank beforehand and no one was harmed during it, people online were still upset at the uncomfortable nature of the video.

The school said it would not tolerate any attempt to intimidate it or its students because of the potentially offensive prank.

“The voice of one Falcon, in agreement or disagreement, carries far more importance to us than the noise of thousands who do not understand who we are and the unique culture we enjoy,” the school wrote in a blog post.

The video began with several masked students at North Pointe Prep “beating” another with foam bats and spraying her with water guns before a fake emergency message is broadcast announcing the annual “senior purge.”

For those not in the know, the “Purge” is a successful film franchise based on the premise of all laws in the United States being banned for a single night each year, meaning anything — including murder — is legal.

The video then shows the same students running through classrooms and spraying others with water guns. Everyone seemed to have a good time, as many students were smiling and laughing.

“We want to especially thank the seniors for your willingness to cooperate with and support the safeguards we put in place surrounding your ‘Senior Purge,'” the school’s blog post read.

“Showing up 90 minutes before school started so each toy water gun could be inspected, everyone could receive a briefing on what was permitted, and then following our guidelines throughout the event demonstrated your commitment to the long legacy of senior leadership at North Pointe.”

The school posted the video on Facebook, where it was met with mixed reactions.

“With all the actual violence happening right now, it’s wonderful to encourage our kids to act this way,” Cristina Kerkau wrote. “I’m sick to my stomach.”

KC Everett, a former student, said he understood the nature of the prank, but “recreating the purge in a school setting, especially with all the recent school shootings, is not the best of ideas,” he wrote.

Many students and alumni defended the video.

“[Police] officers were on standby at all times and checked and double checked all ‘weapons,'” student Becka Joy Akers wrote. “This whole week different class representatives were on the morning show, so all the students were aware that it wasn’t anything serious.

“In fact, in the class that I was in literally no one reacted, because they were all aware.”

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