Valencia and Rio Del Mar Elementary Schools Victimized
Valencia Elementary School was vandalized with obscene graffiti for the second time in just over a month. The two incidents occurred sometime during the nights of Saturday, February 15 and Wednesday March 19. The messages “FLY,” “Pigs Flying” and “When Pigs Fly” were spray painted on the walls in both incidents along with crude cartoons and some obscenities. In the second incident on March 19, a stencil was also used to spray paint the word “FLY” multiple times along with the other graffiti. The February 14 tagging included a strange doodle-like drawing of a dog with a mask or muzzle, collar, and a bandage on its lower back.
According to Brett McFadden, Chief Business Officer for the PVUSD, “This type of occurrence, whether graffiti or vandalism, is very upsetting to students especially in elementary schools and we have to take time to counsel with them. Schools should be treated as sanctuaries from such incidents. We have to act quickly to repair the emotional and physical damage in trying to get our schools back to normal along with helping law enforcement catch whoever are the guilty parties.”
“The person(s) painted similar graffiti both times,” said Valencia Principal Kelley Didion, “Fortunately the first time it happened on Presidents’ Day weekend. A parent saw it on that Sunday morning (Feb 16) and organized other parents and had the graffiti painted over that same day. This time, because school starts at 7:45, we weren’t able to remove it before the students arrived.”
Deputy Ryan Kennedy said graffiti in the area should be reported to the sheriff’s Aptos Service Center at 831-662-0690 and the Sheriff’s Office asks anyone with information to call dispatch at 831-471-1121.