While some students at De Anza College try to improve the image of the school, others have been doing the opposite by vandalizing the campus.

Graffiti has been tagged around campus, including many of the campus maps, along with the bathroom stalls and areas around the football field. Graffiti not only concerns the school administration but also the student body.

“It shows a lack of school appreciation,” said Jerry Cruz, 19, a De Anza student. “It’s an abuse of student privilege.”

The custodial staff has been cleaning the graffiti and vandalism at De Anza. Every night at 10 p.m., the custodians arrive and begin their job of cleaning the campus.

“Once it has been reported, we immediately go after it”, said Manuel Mendoza, 49, director of custodial services.

The custodians have to clean the graffiti quickly after it has been spotted because the longer it is allowed to sit, the harder it becomes to remove.

Among the many custodians, Paul Buxton has assembled a special kit to clean up graffiti. Buxton’s kit contains special tools and chemicals that are used to remove graffiti.

Vandalism is not only a mess to clean up. It’s also a crime and the police are forced to become involved. The Foothill-De Anza Police have been trying to crack down on vandalism, especially if the graffiti is gang related or contains any possible or blatant racial slurs.

Police Chief Ronald Levine has said that while graffiti is not on the rise, it is a major problem on campus. Despite the police’s best efforts to fight vandalism, no one has been arrested yet on charges of defacing college property.

Students themselves can also help by reporting on vandals or report any graffiti as soon as possible to the campus police.

Published for La Voz Weekly
01/30/2008
Original Link: Tagged: police, admin fight graffiti on campus