STRATFORD, Wis. (AP) -- Students who wanted to celebrate the end of classes by driving their tractors to a Wisconsin high school were told to take their tractors home.
Three students drove their tractors to Stratford High School in north-central Wisconsin on Friday morning. But the students failed to get advance approval to bring the tractors to school, Principal Janeen LaBorde said.
LaBorde would not say if the students were disciplined.
The district does not have a written policy requiring students to get approval before bringing tractors on campus. But the principal said students were advised of the requirement in a school-wide announcement on Thursday.
Some students have driven tractors to school in previous years after securing advance permission, LaBorde said.
LaBorde said the school administration is not opposed to students bringing tractors to school, but prior approval is important.
"Part of the discussion that we had with these students is that we're not opposed to it," she said. "But we'd like to be able to have an opportunity to pre-approve for safety and liability issues."
The school's decision prompted criticism on social media.
LaBorde said she thinks Stratford might consider copying Auburndale School District's annual tractor ride in which students drive tractors to school in a parade-like fashion.
"I would much rather us have something like that for the future, and we encourage (students) to plan events for the future," LaBorde said.
