By Erica Solvig
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MASON - Only seven of the 11 students originally banned from graduation because of a senior prank were not allowed to participate in Saturday's ceremony.

The school board held a last-minute emergency meeting hours before commencement and approved two more seniors' participation. The board had agreed Friday to let two other seniors involved in the prank, which left a peacock and rabbit dead, to participate as well.

News media were not notified of the 9 a.m. Saturday meeting until almost midnight Friday and did not receive e-mail notification of the results until Monday.

Four of the five students arrested are expected in Mason Municipal Court today. The charges stem from a June 3 prank where peacocks, rabbits and other animals were stolen from a Deerfield Township hobby farm and released in the school.

Three seniors originally banned from graduation ceremonies appealed to the board during Saturday morning's meeting. Two were allowed to participate but have to perform 40 hours of community service.

"We decided there were different levels of involvement," board president Eric Kantor said Monday.

E-mail esolvig@enquirer.com