Tractor controversy stirs Stratford High

STRATFORD - Three Stratford High School students who drove tractors to school on Friday were forced to bring the tractors home, prompting criticism on social media.

The students failed to get pre-approval to bring the tractors to school, according to Principal Janeen LaBorde.

LaBorde declined to disclose whether the students were disciplined, but she said action was taken after the students arrived to school on the tractors Friday morning.

“I can tell you their tractors went home,” LaBorde told a reporter during an interview.

The district does not have a written policy requiring students obtain pre-approval before bringing tractors on campus, however students were advised of the requirement in a school-wide announcement on Thursday, according to LaBorde.

The students drove the tractors to commemorate the last day of school, which let out early on Friday. Some students have driven tractors to school in prior years after securing advance permission, LaBorde said.

The school’s decision drew some dissent on Facebook from the students involved and their friends, according to Facebook accounts reviewed by USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.

LaBorde said the school administration is not against students bringing tractors to school, but pre-approval is important.

"Part of the discussion that we had with these students is that we’re not opposed to it,” LaBorde said. “But we’d like to be able to have an opportunity to pre-approve for safety and liability issues.”

In fact, LaBorde thinks Stratford might consider emulating 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.

Mitchell A. Skurzewski contributed to this report.

Jonathan Anderson: 715-898-7010 or jonathan.anderson@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @jonathanderson.