One Student Arrested, Valedictorian Reprimanded on Last Day of Classes

One Newtown High School student was arrested and others received reprimands on the last day of classes Thursday afternoon following a spate of misbehavior, students and police said.

In one instance, the class valedictorian Amar Agashe was hauled into the main office and told his behavior might jeopardize his participation in graduation, he said.

Earlier in the afternoon, at about 1:20 p.m., a 17-year-old student was charged with second-degree threatening and breach of peace after police were called to the town parking lot at the corner of Wasserman Way and Oakview Road on a report of damage to vehicles in the parking lot, officials said.

The juvenile, who was not identified by officials because of his age, may have been involved in a dispute that caused damage to the vehicles, said police, who did not make available any further details regarding the incident.

It was the last day of classes -- and with final exams scheduled between now and next week when graduation will be held -- many seniors were celebrating the end of their high school studies. Music was playing and everyone seemed in happy spirits.

"All the seniors were in the lobby," said one senior Brady Eggleston, 17. "Everyone is celebrating high school being over."

The final bell rung and all the students cheered.

"It was not out of control," she said. "They were excited that high school was over."

At about that same time, Agashe, also 17, the class valedictorian, decided to clear out of the lobby after someone threw a stink bomb, he said. Standing outside, waiting to be picked up, he spotted a water balloon fight taking place in the parking lot. One balloon landed right next to him, but didn't explode, Agashe said.

So he picked it up and then lobbed it back in the direction it came from, and instead, it landed on the roadway, hitting no one, he said.

"I just kind of tossed it over," Agashe said.

The next thing he knew, the high school security officer placed his hand on Agashe's back and steered him and other students into the main office where they were given a lecture and told their behavior might affect graduation, Agashe said. 

School officials also told him about on an earlier incident on Oakview Road where windows got broken, he said.

"I was not part of that," Agashe said. "I don't condone the breaking of windows."

School officials then made him write his name down and dismissed him from the office.

 "I'm assuming they're not going to punish me or anything," Agashe said. "I didn't have any bad intentions."

Principal Chip Dumais said he had heard about the arrest of a student but that it took place off campus and he did not know the specifics of it because he was in meetings for most of the afternoon.

He said part of the reason for the incident may have been due to "senior hijinks"

"It got out of control," Dumais said. "Those are very serious charges."

He also had not heard about the water balloon incident but that also could be considered unacceptable behavior, though with Agashe, that may have been a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Dumais said.

While the school is legal obligated to issue diplomas to students who have earned the requisite credits, students do not have a guaranteed right to participate in the graduation ceremony, he said.

"Graduation is a privilege," Dumais said.