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SELDEN, N.Y. (AP) - Parents opened their mailboxes to find an official-looking letter offering birth control - and motel rooms - for the upcoming senior prom
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Police action? I think Long Island needs to lighten up. It's a bit crude, but come on it's a high school prank. No one was hurt or terribly offended.
lil
-------------------- Climb up, over the the top Shake it, take control You've got to find out for yourself whether or not you're truly trying --Jason Mraz Posts: 1686 | From: British Columbia | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Yeah, aside from the number of deeply panicked parents - and the embarrassment of having the letter come out of the school's mail system - it's a pretty harmless prank. No property damage, nobody was endangered, nobody was even slandered.
Admittedly, it was kind of pointless, but most pranks fit that description.
Cat "And, um, I thought it was kinda funny, too" Grey
-------------------- "Beer assuages grief. No one tells you that." ~Arrow-Tech IV Posts: 1612 | From: Darkest America (Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas) | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
Actually, it was a kind of fraud, and I believe police action is warranted. Plus, stealing the mailing list was theft and probably involved breaking and entering or at least trespassing. And how do you know no one was hurt or terribly offended?
Avril
-------------------- There is no failure unless one stops. --Ray Bradbury Posts: 2115 | From: Oklahoma | Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
Oh, c'mon. Were laws broken? Probably, but nothing serious happened. Sure there should be some punishment, but let's not go overboard.
-------------------- "I've argued in front of every judge in this state, often as a lawyer." Posts: 1021 | From: Northwest Indiana | Registered: May 2004
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posted
Actually, putting stuff that is not officially stamped and posted mail in a US Mail mailbox is a federal crime. The people that live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane don't actually OWN the mailbox that they just bought... it is officially USPS property, and damaging it or stuffing it with unofficial things (like a newspaper!!) is a crime.
BURN THEM!!! HURT THEM!!! NEVER LET THEM POST AGAIN!!!
-------------------- Opinions aren't excuses to remain ignorant about subjects, nor are they excuses to never examine one's beliefs & prejudices...
Babies are like tattoos. You see other peoples' & they're cool, but yours is never as good & you can't get rid of it. Posts: 5622 | From: Jax, Florida | Registered: Nov 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Malruhn: Actually, putting stuff that is not officially stamped and posted mail in a US Mail mailbox is a federal crime. The people that live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane don't actually OWN the mailbox that they just bought... it is officially USPS property, and damaging it or stuffing it with unofficial things (like a newspaper!!) is a crime.
BURN THEM!!! HURT THEM!!! NEVER LET THEM POST AGAIN!!!
from the article:
quote: Ross said the prank letter envelopes were mixed in with other legitimate school bulk mailings.
Sounds like they managed to mix it in with another school mailing.
I love it! That is one masterful prank, fraud yes, but masterful.
Jeffrey
-------------------- A little nonsense now and then... Posts: 478 | From: Wonder Lake, IL | Registered: Nov 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Malruhn: Actually, putting stuff that is not officially stamped and posted mail in a US Mail mailbox is a federal crime. The people that live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane don't actually OWN the mailbox that they just bought...
1. How are Herman and Lily these days?
2. Why pick on them?
-------------------- "I've argued in front of every judge in this state, often as a lawyer." Posts: 1021 | From: Northwest Indiana | Registered: May 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Avril: Actually, it was a kind of fraud, and I believe police action is warranted. Plus, stealing the mailing list was theft and probably involved breaking and entering or at least trespassing. And how do you know no one was hurt or terribly offended?
Avril
Well, I don't. But the description of the flyers seems pretty harmless. Birth control and hotel rooms? It's not like teenagers having sex is a shocking revelation.
lil
-------------------- Climb up, over the the top Shake it, take control You've got to find out for yourself whether or not you're truly trying --Jason Mraz Posts: 1686 | From: British Columbia | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Anyone else think this is a good idea? It might make some parents talk to their kids about birth control instead of just pretending they aren't going to have sex.
posted
Since the mailings were mixed in with the schools regular distribution, the school system paid for the delivery of the prank letters. The mailing list was stolen originally. Maybe a prank, but IMHO, they crossed the line on this one. If they had copied and then destroyed the mailing list, and had paid for the mailing out of their own pocket, I would consider it merely a humorous gag.
Posts: 724 | From: Florida | Registered: May 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Robigus, Cat Scratch Fever: Since the mailings were mixed in with the schools regular distribution, the school system paid for the delivery of the prank letters. The mailing list was stolen originally. Maybe a prank, but IMHO, they crossed the line on this one. If they had copied and then destroyed the mailing list, and had paid for the mailing out of their own pocket, I would consider it merely a humorous gag.
I agree. Just because it was intended as a prank doesn't mean that police action isn't warranted. Many school pranks walk a fine line, but this one crossed it.
posted
Okay... so a suitable punishment would be to have to repay the cost of mailing - and apologize to the parents (for scaring them) and school officials (for embarrassing them). Other than that, no harm done.
Cat "This post is only my personal opinion and does not reflect the views of this Website, its owners, or moderators. Your mileage may vary. I could be wrong. No warranty, express or implied, is attached to this opinion. Not legal in Arkansas or Vermont." Grey
-------------------- "Beer assuages grief. No one tells you that." ~Arrow-Tech IV Posts: 1612 | From: Darkest America (Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas) | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Cat Grey, just being myself: Yeah, aside from the number of deeply panicked parents -
Which, in itself, is a problem. If you have a high school senior and this panics you, you're from another planet. Or Amish. But sheesh....not a biggie, especially when compared to many other pranks they could have pulled. Yep, have them repay the postage, but that's about it.
-------------------- And I never want to see your rodentish faces again! Posts: 1215 | From: Connecticut | Registered: May 2003
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felineki
The Red and the Green Stamps
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Hmm... kinda makes me glad that I just ignored the whole "Prom" thing when it came around for my class.
quote:Originally posted by Cat Grey, just being myself: Yeah, aside from the number of deeply panicked parents -
Which, in itself, is a problem. If you have a high school senior and this panics you, you're from another planet. Or Amish.
Panic that your teenager is thinking about having sex? Overboard.
Panic that your teenager's school seems to be actively encouraging him/her to have sex? Justifiable.
-Tabby the princess with claws
-------------------- If you don't appreciate the irony, the irony appreciates.
"Sappiness and medieval violence: it's a wonderful combination. Like chocolate and peanut butter for the mind." -me on my fantasy novel-in-progress Posts: 2281 | From: Arizona | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Tabbyossarian: Panic that your teenager is thinking about having sex? Overboard.
Panic that your teenager's school seems to be actively encouraging him/her to have sex? Justifiable.
-Tabby the princess with claws
I dunno. Panic on that scale seems to imply that Parents a) seriously believe that a modern public school might do that; and b) are completely out of touch with their kids and/or have no faith in their judgement.
A brief moment of panic is justifiable, considering that the letter appeared to come from the school, on school letterhead. (But it should really be followed by dawning revelation, and maybe nervous laughter.) Calling up the school to ask, "Do you know anything about these letters?" is justifiable. Calling up in a panic because you're convinced that the school is providing hotel rooms for Little Johnny and Young Suzy to get it on... I'd say, 'Not justifiable.'
Your mileage may vary. This is just my opinion. In any case, I've long since given up expecting people to act - or react - sensibly.
Cat "Paradise by the dashboard lights" Grey
-------------------- "Beer assuages grief. No one tells you that." ~Arrow-Tech IV Posts: 1612 | From: Darkest America (Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas) | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Malruhn: The people that live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane don't actually OWN the mailbox that they just bought... it is officially USPS property
Is it? I used to beleive that, too, but I think I later learned it was a UL. But then since discovering snopes I think everything's a UL now. Anyhow, I'll start a new thread on the subject rather than further hijacking this one.
-------------------- "Unseasonable is an odd word to begin with. It sounds like it's describing something that it's impossible to sprinkle pepper on." -- Nonny Posts: 5483 | From: Just south of Folsom Prison, CA | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Cat Grey, just being myself: Okay... so a suitable punishment would be to have to repay the cost of mailing - and apologize to the parents (for scaring them) and school officials (for embarrassing them). Other than that, no harm done.
Cat "This post is only my personal opinion and does not reflect the views of this Website, its owners, or moderators. Your mileage may vary. I could be wrong. No warranty, express or implied, is attached to this opinion. Not legal in Arkansas or Vermont." Grey
Repaying the postage is a start, but an apology is no sort of punishment as far as I'm concerned. They should make them do something above and beyond to make up for this. Yes, it was a creative gag, but you just can't have students pulling that kind of stunt. That's just my opinion though.
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