Menu
Don't want their MTV -- School won't help cable network recreate 2003 graduation prank
McCook Public Schools board of education members split evenly Monday evening over a motion to add an emergency item to their agenda and consider a request from a cable television network to recreate and film a class prank perpetrated in 2003.
The 3-3 vote on Diane Lyons' motion meant that the board would not discuss a decision by High School Principal Jerry Smith to decline a proposal from MTV to recreate the prank inside the halls of the high school.
The prank involved a group of senior boys parking fellow student Tyler Bieck's car in the high school hallway outside the principal's office.
Voting in favor of adding the emergency item to the agenda were Greg Larson, Tom Bredvick and Lyons. Voting no were Mike Gonzales, Jim Coady and Dawn Andersen.
Andersen explained her vote: "This is not something for the board to decide. This is an administrative decision," she said. Andersen said she accepts Smith's decision, and cautioned her fellow board members against micro-managing decisions intended for and made by administrators.
This morning, Smith said he declined MTV's request because a prank on the school is not part of the school district's curriculum or the board's and community's goals for education. "It's not part of school life that we need to promote," Smith said.
Smith said the prank received plenty of publicity at the time, by the McCook Daily Gazette, by the alumni news letter and with mentions on the World Wide Web. "There's no need to do more," Smith said.
Elementary principal Kathy Latta told board members that she appreciates the board's support of an administrative decision "that "promotes a healthy image of our school."
Tyler Bieck, who is now a sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, asked board members to reconsider Smith's decision. In an e-mail appeal read to school board members by fellow graduate Wade Felker, Bieck said MTV's filming of the prank -- for the network's show called "High School Stories" -- would be "a great opportunity for exposure for the community of McCook and the McCook Public School System."
Bieck said the focus of "High School Stories" is to tell reactions and consequences -- good and bad -- of high school pranks. Bieck said MTV places moral and ethical constraints on the stories it airs on national television. Bieck said MTV's web site explains: "MTV's High School Stories will not accept any entries that detail scandals, pranks or controversies that have harmed participants or could be viewed as potentially damaging or dangerous. MTV and High School Stories do not produce or promote material pertaining to harmful actions and pranks."
Bieck admits, however, that parents and others "may possess a fundamental disagreement with the culture that MTV draws and some programming choices the station has made ... " Bieck supported MTV's efforts to reduce election apathy through education of issues and increase voter turnout in the 18-30 age group. He also praised the network's support of an organization called "Partners Against Hate," which strives to educate young Americans about acceptance and understanding and combat youth hatred and violence.
On its web site home page this morning, MTV also promoted the Grammys, "Loder on 'Inside Deep Throat' -- How the most profitable porn film ever changed the world," and "Also in Movies: Keanu, sexy schoolgirls and one angry man-whore."
On a page called "Casting Call -- Ever wondered how you can be on MTV?," it lists, among others:
* MADE -- Tell us about your dreams and goals.
* Are you a lesbian Latina professional interviewing for jobs or internships?" -- Please e-mail LOGO today.
* Do you describe yourself or identify as "gender queer"? Tell us your story.
Tyler's father, Bill Bieck, told board members he supported his son's efforts in the filming project and was disappointed in the board's action, despite explaining that he was not a fan of MTV and that he had banned the network in his home.
Dave Haller, an early-1970's graduate of MHS, also voiced his disappointment with the board's decision, calling it "a great injustice to the student body."
Haller said the prank "wasn't about guns and shooting someone."
Haller said he became involved with the project "in a round-about way." Neither of his daughters graduated in the Class of 2003.
"It's sad what this board did," Haller said. MTV officials were coming from New York, he said, "and you smacked 'em in the face."
Haller said the experience could have been educational for the high school's journalism and theater students. Haller said, "It beats the hell out of someone coming to school with guns and shooting for notoriety."
When Jerry Smith declined to allow MTV to film in McCook, MTV officials approached the Arapahoe school board and planned to film in Arapahoe on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 19 and 20.
Arapahoe's Secondary Principal Daren Hatch said this morning, however, that Arapahoe's board declined, at a regular board meeting Monday evening, to allow the filming to happen in Arapahoe.
Hatch said board members decided "there wasn't much educational value" in the project, beside perhaps letting students watch the filming process.
Hatch said the board was also uncomfortable with the fact that once the video is shot, it is owned by MTV. "You just never know ... , " Hatch said, how that video may be used.