LMSD Addresses Students Getting 'Shmacked'

The principals of Harriton and Lower Merion high schools sent a letter to parents Tuesday night informing them of YouTube videos featuring district students who appeared to be drinking alcohol and using drugs.

"Though all of the activities occur off campus, and the film appears to have been recorded last summer, it is critical that there are swift and appropriate consequences," the letter, signed by Harriton Principal Steven Kline and Lower Merion Principal Sean Hughes, reads in part. "Where we have the authority and power to act and respond, we will. We are in the process of notifying parents of students that appear in the video and will do so by Thursday afternoon."

The videos—no longer online—depicted students getting "shmacked," or so high or drunk as to not be able to function, according to a CBS 3 report.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman told CBS 3 she is especially concerned the apparent illegal activity was going on in or near cars.

According to the CBS 3 report, videographers said the alcohol and marijuana shown in the videos were fake. 

There are also "I'm Shmacked" Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as a website where school-specific T-shirts are available for purchase.

"Adults who take things completely out of context [...] ought to mind the generational gap and stay in between their lines rather than try to exploit and magnify a situation simply to scare parents and raise an audience," read a post on the "I'm Shmacked" Facebook page on Wednesday with a link to a CBS 3 tweet. "Big Brother is watching."