The Columbia School District and Columbia Police Department sent a letter to district parents Friday afternoon regarding poor student conduct during homecoming week, advising parents to ensure their students are obeying the law and upholding school expectations.

As the letter states, the police department spoke to CHS juniors and seniors about their behavior earlier in the week. The homecoming football is Friday night, with the coronation and dance set for Saturday evening.

The district notes that curfew for minors under age 17 in the city is from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., and students not observing this curfew will be, at the CPD’s discretion, “searched for possession of unneeded items and issued a ticket.”

The letter also speaks about typical homecoming pranks and traditions that seem to have gone too far – specifically mentioning how toilet-papering houses has turned into “vandalism” at this point, with students also using shaving cream on cars and ruining their paint. Such behavior will similarly earn students a search and a ticket, this letter states.

Additional poor behavior mentioned by the district includes citizens being struck with tomatoes and pushed by students running to their cars who then speed away.

The letter further makes mention of after-dance parties which have traditionally been allowed, indicating that reported parties this year will be investigated by police – who will present underage consumption tickets as necessary to those students who are drinking, with adults hosting any such parties receiving a charge for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Along these lines, the letter also emphasizes there is no tolerance for alcohol consumption before or during the homecoming dance, with administration monitoring the entrances at the start of the event.

“We regret that this letter needs to be sent, but the homecoming traditions, such as kidnapping/hazing the underclassmen, need to stop,” the letter concludes. “The safety of our students, staff and the Columbia community will remain our top priority and will be reflected in the actions and expectations we set at school during the school day and in all after-school activities. CUSD 4’s partnership with you is valued, and our hope is that working in tandem will help us continue to celebrate our student traditions, such as homecoming.”