Vandalism, or better known in Colorado as Criminal Mischief, is when a person “knowingly damages the real or personal property of one or more persons, including property owned by the person jointly with another person.” Depending on how much the damage represents, this charge can go from a petty offense all the way up to a felony. Other criminal charges can be added to this depending on what additional actions the suspect takes. It just feels wrong that I have to write about this today, but I do.
In the last few days, students and staff have been finding a lot of inappropriate graffiti (using markers or other tools) in the bathrooms. Bathrooms are always an easy target, given that there are no cameras. We always rely on those who are willing to share information with us. We can’t hold accountable people responsible for these actions if somebody doesn’t tell us who is (are) doing this. I have always encouraged students to take pride in their school. With new areas being built around campus, some students see them as a blank canvas. I can’t show photos of what has been drawn on some bathroom walls, but it is extremely inappropriate.
Here is the call to action: Please talk to your students about this. Even if you know your student is not doing this, chat with them. Please encourage them to take pride in their school. Encourage them to take care of the second place they spend most of their time. Encourage them to find Mrs. Maria Fountain or Miss Patricia (our wonderful facilities workers) and to thank them for all the work they do daily! I see these two ladies and Mr. Hoornstra working tirelessly to make sure everything in this building is working great. I am thankful for what they do, and I really hope our students can show their appreciation through words or actions (or both).
One small additional thing. If you know your students hang out at the Center for Strength (right across the street from STEM), please have a chat with them. I’ve received multiple calls from people unrelated to the Center or to STEM sharing some concerns about our students’ behavior. I received reports that students like to sit on vehicles that are not theirs, block the road in the parking lot, use foul language in the parking lot, and more. I’ll do my best to increase patrol in that area, but those who have contacted me understand that my area of focus is the school itself.
Thank you for your continuous support. Let’s keep working hard to keep our students safe! I am very thankful for having the opportunity to be part of your student’s story. If you have questions, please email me at gabe.uribe@stemk12.org, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Enjoy the good weather this weekend.
GO SPARTANS!
Be safe!
Deputy Gabe