Vandalism on campus: main office door broken

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School administrators used a wooden plank as a temporary replacement for the glass screen of the main office door.

An unknown vandal shattered the main glass window of one of Cam High’s main office doors on the night after open house.

Staff arrived the next morning to glass fragments all over the floor and the broken remains of their door frame. According to Mr. Thomas Taketa, school counselor, the double layered window appeared to have had its outermost pane broken with a hammer.

After the staff surveyed the main office, it was determined that nothing else had been broken or stolen from the administrative building. “This doesn’t happen very often, so I think our security is pretty effective,” said Mrs. Kim Stephenson, associate principal. “This was the first time this has happened [in the two years] I’ve been at ACHS.”

Only one of the door’s two window panes was shattered. The door to the office did have a security alarm in place, but in order for it to sound, both windows must be broken. On most days, staff are present from 6 a.m. through midnight, with the last staff members to leave locking the doors and making sure the campus is clear of trespassers.

Some students were concerned the event was an example of how simple it is to perform vandalism on campus during non-school hours. “It’s disappointing how no one was aware of the breaking before they arrived in the morning,” said Arielle Mendoza, junior. “If this type of event were to occur at a time where the school was mostly vacant, there would be no knowledge of the event until someone returns.”

“The security leaves a lot to be desired,” said junior Alec Boghossian. “This school definitely needs to learn to prioritize, and get their act together.”

For the protection of the staff and students, multiple temporary arrangements were made. A large oak plank was drilled onto the door frame to prevent injury due to the sharp glass, and school administration prohibited use of the door, placing a makeshift sign on the outside to redirect traffic to the other doorway.

The door repair, contracted by the district, was completed on Thursday, Feb. 5, returning the door to its original state.