Vandals hit school over gang colors...

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_4876750

Once again...where are the parents?

Vandals hit school over gang colors, official says
By Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 12/21/2006 12:00:00 AM MST

A vandalism spree at Canyon Hills Middle School earlier this month was spurred by a school ban on gang colors, a school district spokesman said on Wednesday.
Two 13-year-old boys broke in, ransacked a vice principal's office, spray-painted walls and knocked over computers on Dec. 9 in one of the most extensive vandalism episodes to hit an El Paso school.

"Apparently, they were in disagreement with a school policy the principal had implemented," El Paso Independent School District spokes man Luis Villalobos said.

"The school had attempted to control the wearing of certain colors because they were gang-affiliated. They (boys) were (acting) in retaliation against the school."

Villalobos, who described the crime as "apparently gang- related," would not disclose what color was banned.

The damage came even as school officials have been asking neighbors to keep a closer eye out for suspicious activity because of a rash of unrelated playground arsons this year.

School district officials said the boys were caught about 3 a.m.

Dec. 9 in the Northeast school by school district police responding to an intruder alarm.
One boy is a Canyon Hills student who had been in trouble before, and the other boy is his cousin. Their names were not released because they are juveniles. They face felony charges of criminal mischief.

The boys caused more than $1,500 in damage, an amount lower than originally estimated. Villalobos said it turned out that the computers knocked over by the vandals were not damaged.

The boys spray-painted the gym and portable classrooms and broke in through a rear door, Villalobos said. They knocked over about 30 computers in a lab. They also spray-painted a clue to one of their addresses in a vice principal's office. They broke glass in the trophy case, picture frames and interior windows in the school offices.

"They had extensive injuries to their hands," Villalobos said. "They punched out glass. There was extensive amount of blood throughout the school."

Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.



Closer look | school vandalism


Playground arsons
Besides the arrests Wednesday of two 13-year-old boys in the vandalism at Canyon Hills Middle School earlier this month, other juveniles have been arrested in cases of vandalism at El"Paso schools:

Three boys -- ages 12, 13 and 14 -- were arrested Dec. 7-8 in connection with an Oct. 11 playground jungle gym fire at Dolphin Terrace Elementary School in Northeast El Paso.

Two 12-year-old boys were arrested Dec. 8 in connection with a Dec. 4 playground jungle gym fire at Pebble Hills Elementary School in East El Paso.

There is a simple common sense way to deal with this. School uniforms for all schools, that way the poor won't have to try to keep up with the "Joneses" and the upper elite will have nothing to feel snobbish about! No harrasement of kids who don't have the money for name brand clothes!

I know, I know, you are asking what place does common sense have here in America anymore? :roll:

They should have banned gang colors and bandanas long ago and have uniforms. Uniforms also avoid the wearing of gang colors. When I lived in Canada they had the Bloods, the Cripts and various others gangs and started the ban on gang colors before it even became a big problem. It worked fine on school property but once off school property you had fights.

Yes to the uniforms not because of the money aspect, but simply that they can't advertise their gang affiliation, and have the little punks do like 100 hours each cleaning up grafitti around town.