Students say northeast EP high school pranks getting out of hand

Some students in a northeast El Paso high school told ABC-7 Friday that campus pranks are getting out of hand.

Most Irvin High School students wanted to keep their identities concealed. They said peers regularly plant stinkbombs in classrooms and put peanut butter or paint on rails.

However, what those students were most worried about are incidents where they say people play with fire at school.

“People just randomly pop(fireworks) around the ‘D’ building, but it smokes up the cafeteria and(administrators) never find out who it is,” said one student.

A county-wide ban on frieworks was just lifted on Thursday, but students said troublemakers have been illegally lighting up fireworks for weeks.

“It’s annoying, and it’s distracting when you’re trying to do your work,” said one girl.

El Paso Independent School Districtofficials said EPISD police went to the campus Friday and caught two students with fireworks. The district said those students are being disciplined.

Students said more could be done to catch those who break rules and disrupt classes.

“I don’t think they’re trying hard enough to catch people,” said a student.

EPISD officials said they have not caught the culprits responsible for fires at the school earlier this year.

According to the El Paso Fire Department, responders were called out to Irvin High school for three trash fires in 2012 so far.

A spokesman for the fire department said two fires were reported on Feb. 7 in a restroom and another was reported on May 1.

ABC-7 asked EPISD what it has done to keep an eye on students who misbehave.

A district spokeswoman said, “Campus administration is addressing the concerns. The campus also asks students to report any incidents or concerns to administration, so that the appropriate action can be taken. Any student caught violating the student code of conduct will be disciplined accordingly.”

However some students say rule-breakers have been getting away with too much for too long. “They need more security,” suggested one student.