OSAGE, IA – The halls in Osage High School and the painted windows on cars outside tell the story.
Osage is fresh off another homecoming weekend, but where it should have been a busy weekend, and the gym should have been packed Saturday night for the dance, instead, it looked just like it did on Monday afternoon…empty.
School leaders cancelled the annual dance after someone used toilet paper to vandalize the homes of several school administrators.
It’s normally a fun act of appreciation, but not this time.
"A lot of schools, they TP the students or the athletes and stuff, which is what's supposed to be,” said Senior Yngwie Goette, “and here, it's more of a retaliation against teachers."
"We had issues even the week prior to homecoming,” explained Superintendent Steve Bass, “so we kind of laid the foundation and told the kids: put an end to it, take the high road, tell your friends."
But when it didn't stop, an email went out to parents and students informing that the dance was cancelled.
While some students are very angry at losing the tradition, many are understanding as well.
"I respect him more for doing what he said he was gonna do in that kind of situation,” said Goette, ”but students that didn't TP, it kind of sucks for them."
For seniors like Goyette, he says it's just a shame the mistakes of a few cost them their last homecoming dance.
“You only get to be a senior once,” said Goette, “and I think this is about the only dance other than prom that we got."
"We're very confident in what we did,” said Bass. “I think if we did it again, we'd probably make the same choice."
Superintendent Bass says this is not a decision they made lightly,but a lesson in respect and responsibility school adminsitrators say is necessary.
Bass is hoping the lesson is learned, so maybe they can host an additional dance for the students this year.
So far the district doesn't know who actually did the toilet papering, but educators say it's likely some former students are also responsible as well.
