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General News: School District Acts to Protect Property
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| Skateboarders ignore the No Trespassing signs |
October 31, 2007
When a 12-year-old skateboarder painted obscene graffiti on the driveway outside Cornwll-on-Hudson elementary school last week, school superintendent Timothy Rehm decided it was time to take a tougher stance against the young people who hang out on the school steps.
He issued a letter to all students and their parents warning that trespassing and other unlawful acts on school property may be prosecuted. This move followed what he described as “several weeks of vandalism, graffiti, and unlawful acts.” Vandals have sprayed graffiti on the roof and walls of the middle school repeatedly in recent weeks.
“We need to protect our property,” Rehm explained, “this kind of activity will not be tolerated.” Rehm said that the school board adopted a stricter code of conduct earlier this year that will be used to discipline students who damage property. Students who are 16 years or older could be prosecuted under the law, he said, while those involving younger students will be handled administratively.
In addition to the letter, No Trespassing signs went up on the wall next to the steps at Cornwall-on-Hudson elementary as a warning to the teens who often skateboard in the driveway and on the steps. Rehm said that similar signs already exist at the middle school and at Willow Avenue elementary, where some unlawful acts have occurred.
On Tuesday afternoon, a group of eight teens were gathered under the No Trespassing sign, practicing their skateboarding moves. No one seemed particularly concerned about the new school district’s new stance.
One teen, who did not identify himself, said he didn’t see anything wrong with the graffiti and predicted that the signs would be gone within two weeks. Another, Bob Burnquist, 16, said he and others were doing nothing wrong but the young kids who write graffiti give them a bad name.
Cornwall-on-Hudson police chief Charles Williams welcomed the new attitude toward trespassers. He has met with superintendent Rehm to address damage to property at the elementary school over the past two years.
“Both the town and the village police now know we have reinforced our policy,” Rehm said. “When they see activity, they will now that we would prosecute.”
Comments:
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If they know that it was a '12 year old skateboarder' that painted the graffiti why couldn't they catch him? What proof do they have? Once again the Village is willing to condemn ALL the skateboarders and teenagers for the actions of a few idiot miscreants. Growing up here, we always hung out at the schools after hours. Once in a while somebody would graffiti the walls or playgrounds. Not everybody, just a few destructive and inconsiderate individuals. Is it right that all should suffer for the bad behavior of the few? Maybe if the police force spent MORE TIME FORGING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS with the teens they would have an advantage when it came to getting information about what is going on in the streets. Right now, with the attitude that all the kids are '10-85s'or delinquents they get nowhere and the whole village suffers for the lack of a feeling of community ownership.
And, Harry Nadds, c'mon, get a real name you goofball...
posted by kate benson on 11/01/07 at 10:14 PM
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