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NYC's elite Collegiate School rocked by 'border patrol' senior prank
By
Jessica Gould
Published May 3, 2025
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Jessica Gould
By
Jessica Gould
Published May 3, 2025
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A senior prank at the elite Collegiate School on the Upper West Side that featured a mock border patrol checkpoint in the lobby has touched off a debate about racism and how school officials should respond to students who some faculty say crossed a line.
Senior pranks are a tradition at the all-boys school, which claims to be the oldest in the country. But a faculty member, who asked to remain anonymous in fear of losing their job, said this year’s prank offended some students, teachers and administrators.
According to the employee and a complaint from staff to school leadership, several students on Thursday set up a cardboard booth surrounded by caution tape where they asked to see arriving classmates’ “papers.” An inflatable eagle riding a motorcycle was also set up in the lobby, the faculty member said, and American and Texas flags adorned the entrance. Outside, a live mariachi band performed as other students stood nearby waving American flags.
Gothamist also obtained a complaint, written by a staffer, urging administrators to hold the students accountable for what the staffer described as an event that smacked of racism and harassment of people of color. A post on the UWS Mommas Facebook group page featured discussions about the scene, which commenters called “bizarre” and in poor taste.
It was unclear how long the prank lasted, how many kids participated, or exactly what message the seniors were trying to send.
The school did not respond to several inquiries. Parents and staff leaving the school on Friday declined to comment.
In an email to the school community Friday afternoon that was obtained by Gothamist, head of school Bodie Brizendine said the prank day had been approved with a Fourth of July theme, but “it unfortunately strayed from that plan.” There were several incidents that were “inappropriate, humiliating and hurtful,” she said, noting that senior prank day is a “longstanding tradition for our soon-to-be graduates.”
The prestigious school counts John F. Kennedy Jr., media executive Edgar Bronfman and Egbert Benson, the first attorney general of New York, among its alumni. Its board of trustees includes NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, whose family owns the Loews Corporation and New York Giants. Tuition, according to the school’s website, is $65,900.
In the email, Brizendine said she and administrators are speaking to students about what happened, with more information to come.
“We have an excellent senior class and yesterday’s events do not reflect who we are as a school. We regret that this ‘prank’ took the turn that it did. Every member of our community is valued and important to us,” she said.
But a staffer complained to administrators in a letter that the event was not funny, but instead echoed anti-immigrant sentiment. The staffer said the seniors who participated are not little kids and should understand the gravity of the current political climate, particularly for immigrants and minorities.
In a post to the UWS Mommas Facebook group, one person wrote: “What was going on at Collegiate School this morning? It was this strange scene with a mariachi band playing outside next to boys dressed in American flags waving American flags around.”
A commenter replied: “If that’s a prank, it’s in serious poor taste at the moment, and needs following up.”
Founded in the 1600s by Dutch colonists, Collegiate is among the oldest schools in the country. The school is known for rigorous academics. Its website includes an “Equity and Belonging” page and elevates a quote: “Collegiate’s greatest accomplishment may be its unwavering belief that education is worthy only if it links discipline with compassion and learning with a sense of responsibility and joy.”
The vaunted school has been affected by controversies that have engulfed much of the education world.
Collegiate’s previous head of school stepped down last year after an internal report investigated antisemitism, Islamophobia and bias against the backdrop of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel and Israel’s war in Gaza. Brizendine, who formerly led the all-girls private Spence School, took over as Collegiate’s new head of school in summer 2024.
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manhattan
Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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