Actions Must Have Repercussions – Especially for Those of Privilege

This Memorial Day we honor military personnel who died while serving the United State Armed Forces.

The crowd Thursday evening at Reno High School are without honor or thought.

On this Memorial Day, when we pause to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives for our freedoms, it’s hard not to reflect on how far removed some young people—and perhaps their parents—have drifted from understanding the weight of that sacrifice.

Just a few days ago, on the night of May 22nd, a group of what has been reported to be high school students—masked, emboldened, and disturbingly detached from any sense of accountability—vandalized Reno High School. This wasn’t petty mischief or a harmless prank. It was destruction laced with hateful language and symbols. Damage to property, to community trust, and to the values we claim to instill in our youth.

Let’s be clear: these were not desperate acts born from poverty or trauma. These appeared to be the actions of privileged kids—many likely ferried to school in expensive cars, their ski masks maybe ordered from the comfort of home on a parent's Amazon account. And while the investigation is ongoing, the broader question looms: what will be done?

Because what should happen is not just about money—though their families should absolutely be held financially responsible for every cent of repair. What’s also necessary is accountability with teeth. Repeating this high school year? Community service tied to veterans' groups or historical education initiatives? Public apologies? And just not the youth, we think their parents should also be called upon to apologize and do community service. All should be on the table. These students must feel the weight of what they’ve done, not just ride out the news cycle until everyone forgets.

But if we’re honest, the apathy didn’t start with them. It starts at the top—right here in Washoe County. We have a school board that has shown us what happens when you excuse bad behavior. One of their own, a trustee, misused a City of Reno-issued cell phone to send explicit messages—not to a spouse, but to other women. And what happened? A brief scandal, some hand-wringing, and silence. No real consequences. Just another case of lowered standards swept aside by politics or privilege.

We must ask ourselves: what message are we sending to our children? When misconduct by adults is ignored, when public servants face no fallout, when rules seem optional for the well-connected, why should we expect moral clarity from our youth?

The answer isn’t complicated. It’s simple. Actions must have repercussions. Not just for the sake of justice, but for the sake of learning. If we allow these kids to walk away with little more than a reprimand, we’re teaching them that consequences are for other people—less fortunate people. We’re teaching them that hate, disrespect, and destruction come with a short timeout and then life continues as usual.

Memorial Day is about remembrance. But let’s not forget that honoring the fallen also means living up to the values they died defending—integrity, discipline, and responsibility. If we allow our public institutions, our schools, and our leaders to model anything less, we are not just failing to remember—we’re actively choosing to forget.

And that would be the greatest dishonor of all.

Picon Staff