School revokes yearbooks over comment

Wallingford, Connecticut (WTNH) - An annual year-end tradition is tarnished for seniors at a school in Wallingford.

At a time of year when most high school seniors are signing each other's yearbooks, students at Sheehan High School are turning them back in and wondering when they'll get them back.

The Wallingford School District has recalled them after a comment printed in the book came to their attention.

Amber Schumacher, of Wallingford, explained, "There was a saying under the 'I remember' section that had been put in there, and the parent of the child who the saying was about -- I'm not giving any names -- felt that it was offensive to them."

So now seniors are being asked to voluntarily return the yearbooks.

News 8 found a sample of some of the photos in Sheehan’s 2010 yearbook online -- but no finished copy -- and nobody is giving specifics about what was printed.

Wallingford School Superintendent Doctor Sal Menzo says they are working with the company that manufactures the books on a way to redact the comment that he says could be seen as offensive.

But the clock is ticking down to graduation day and students are getting impatient.

"Kids are kind of p.o.’d about it, not too happy,” said Chris Camerato. “They purchased them and they don't want to give them back to the school and everything."

"Most of the seniors are upset about it, some of them don't really care,” Maureen Hinman commented. “But most of them are really upset about it because, like, it's their property people have been saying."

Students News 8 talked to Wednesday say most kids didn't even notice the comment. But Superintendent Dr. Menzo says the school wants to err on the side of caution.

Dr. Menzo stated, quote, "These are memories that they're going to have for the rest of their lives, and we want to make sure they're appropriate."

The students say they expect to get the yearbooks back before the end of the school year.