School leavers should face prosecution for “muck-up day” vandalism and dangerous pranks, according to a teachers’ group.
The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association has called for a crackdown on the practice, which have potential to injure pupils and leave staff facing nightmare clean-up operations.
In Angus a pupil from Arbroath High required hospital treatment after being hit in the eye by an egg.
Other incidents across Scotland have included a Greenock pupil suffering an allergic reaction after eggs and flour were thrown around and a janitor in the Borders slipping on Vaseline-covered stairs.
The true number of dangerous “muck-up day” pranks is unknown.
Police Scotland’s Tayside division said the volume of their records would make it “too much work” to search for incidents and would need to be the subject of a Freedom of Information request.
They did confirm, however, there had been no incidents at schools in Dundee. A spokeswoman said they had been made aware of “high jinks” in Seafield Road on Friday but did not require to take any action.
Officers in Fife also declined to comment, requesting that the information be sought through an FoI request. The SSTA is now to raise a motion at its annual congress in Peebles, condemning vandals and those who injure classmates.
It states: “The association condemns the criminal behaviour of a minority of pupils on their final day of their school career.
“We support in principle the decision of educational employers and their staff in pursuing criminal and civil actions to hold the perpetrators of such offences to account.”
The stance was backed by acting general secretary Alan MacKenzie, who said there was increasing concerns about the escalation of pranks.
He said: “It is something we are seeing more and more of and it is something that seems to be throwing up more and more serious incidents. There is a sense that we need to do something about it.”
Eileen Price, director of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said: “Criminal behaviour cannot be defended. However it would be sad if pupils were to be criminalised for pranks and high jinks.
“A more positive response is to provide avenues for pupils to channel their creativity and energy in more productive ways, involving both pupils and parent councils.”