SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. – Students at Thornwood High School contend officials are “ruining lives” by issuing suspensions to nearly three dozen students over a firecracker senior prank in January.

“This right here with them giving me ten days out of school (suspension), it is not going to look good” on a college transcript, senior Evan Reid told ABC 7, “they are actually ruining people’s lives who had nothing to do with that.”

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Thorton Township High School District 205 officials suspended 33 students last week after someone set off a firecracker during a prep rally in the high school gymnasium January 29.

A video of the incident show pandemonium broke out as the explosive went off, sending students and staff scrambling from the stands.

“Everyone just picked a door, and they ran,” Reid said. “Everyone just ran anywhere. The staff was running. The students (were) running because no one knew what was going on.”

School officials traced the prank back to a group chat between students, including many with allegedly no involvement in actually setting off the firecracker, though officials said the suspensions were made with “credible evidence,” according to the news site.

“Originally, they were to grab silly string and spray all the seniors. Someone was like, ‘We should get a firecracker.’ It was just a suggestion,” Reid said. “No one took it upon themselves to say, ‘I am about to go to the store and purchase it.’”

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“I just got suspended for making a tweet about the pep rally and being in the group chat,” senior Morgan Grant said, adding that she didn’t even attend the rally.

Jose Cerda is also adamant he was involved, but was suspended anyway.

“I was mad because I didn’t do anything,” the senior said. “I have never been suspended or anything like that.”

District officials issued a statement about the incident that basically just spells out the obvious.

“There was an incident at Thornwood High School during an assembly on January 29, 2016. The administration at Thornwood High School and South Holland Police Department are currently investigating the matter,” the statement read.

“33 students were suspended and will be afforded their rights to due process as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct and Thorton Township High School District 205 Board of Education approved policy.”

The suspensions generated mixed reactions online.

“My high school is too much,” Angie Zayas posted to Facebook. “I struggle through high school and know that I have straight As, about to walk the stage and go to prom this happens and good people suffer from the stupidity of others.”

“This could have caused people to be trampled,” Joselyn Dzukey wrote. “They claim they are not guilty because they only ‘talked’ about it. I think that’s called being an accessory.”

“Being suspended is perfectly acceptable. They are lucky they weren’t expelled,” Pete Caruso added. “They knew who did it. Pretty dumb idea in a crowded gym full of kids. Good for the school.”