For many teenagers, trying to gain acceptance during high school is a major part of growing up. When a student is rejected by friends or does not make a sports team, it can be a crushing experience. Two Houston teens are now facing charges for vandalizing their school’s football field out of anger. The damages from the property crimes could cost as much as $50,000.
According to reports, two boys were arrested for tearing up the field’s turf. At this point, the two teens, one of whom is 18 years old and could be charged as an adult, are the only people suspected to be involved with the act of vandalism.
The two young men were cut from the high school’s football team, so they supposedly responded by inflicting serious damage to the field. This is an example of two young people acting out of anger. When someone is in a heightened emotional state, they may act irrationally and do things they normally would never consider. It’s likely that a spot on the football roster meant a great deal to these two young men.
As a result of the incident, both have been charged with criminal mischief, which is a third-degree felony. Felony charges will likely stick with the teens for the rest of their lives, if they are tried and convicted as adults. One momentary lapse in good judgment could negatively impact their reputation and ability gain employment down the road. They both have so much life ahead of them, so a conviction would be absolutely devastating.
In addition to potential criminal consequences, these two boys face the possibility of being prevented from graduating. They have both already been banned from their school’s commencement ceremony. The inability to obtain a high school diploma as scheduled could also hurt employment prospects or prevent them from pursuing further education.
Reacting to the serious nature of the charges filed against his son, the father of one of the students commented, “He’s still a child to me.”
Source: KHOU-TV News, “Father of suspect in Pearland ISD football stadium vandalism: He’s still a child to me,” Drew Karedes, May 30, 2012