School vandals won’t be prosecuted
By Bobby Bryant
Editor
editor@newsandpress.net
The 30 or more students who extensively vandalized Darlington High School May 12, requiring an all-night clean-up effort so the school could reopen the next morning, won’t be prosecuted, officials say.
The Darlington County School District said that county Education Superintendent Tim Newman and Darlington Police Chief Kelvin Washington agreed that there was no need to make the students carry criminal records for the rest of their lives for what amounted to bad decisions on one night.
A press release from the district quoted Newman as saying: “As educators, it’s always difficult when young people make poor decisions that could impact their future. This was a serious situation with serious consequences. While accountability is necessary, this moment does not have to define the future of these students.”
The district quoted Washington as saying, “We are working with school district officials on this investigation. Multiple laws were broken, and charges could be brought against the violators. The school district hopes to handle this through the district’s discipline policy to keep these young people from getting criminal records. We support the school district’s decision.”
The DCSD plans to discipline the students internally, “per the district’s discipline code.”
Criminal charges could be filed against students involved in the incident. “The participants violated multiple sections of the Darlington County School District discipline policy as well as violated criminal law, including trespassing, vandalism, and potentially burglary charges,” the district said.
At least some students involved apparently won’t be allowed to walk to the stage at graduation. Several students and parents gathered to protest that Friday. Some of the students said they had “permission” from a school “administrator” to enter the building for a “senior prank,” but the district’s statement never refers to the incident as anything but vandalism.
According to the district, on Thursday, May 12, “more than 30 seniors and underclassmen from Darlington High School entered multiple school buildings on the Darlington High campus without permission.” The district does not say the students broke in or explain how the intruders avoided setting off alarms.
Once inside the DHS facilities, the students “vandalized and damaged property.” The vandalism, according to the district, included:
— Security cameras intentionally obscured with debris.
— Doors, windows egged.
— Chalk paint used to graffiti walkways, walls, windows.
— Syrup and confetti spread throughout the buildings.
— Chocolate sauce poured on walkways and tracked inside.
— Shaving cream sprayed in water fountains and on lockers, display cases and windows.
— Trash cans, containing food and milk, turned over and garbage spread throughout the yard and buildings.
— Light poles, water fountains and doorways wrapped in plastic wrap.
— The office of DHS Principal Cortney Gehrke and the central office were broken into and vandalized.
— A Falcon mascot headpiece was removed from a display case and left in the courtyard with shaving cream on it.
— Feminine pads stuck to doorways, walls and stop signs.
— Classroom furniture thrown down the hallway.
— Gym equipment and water bottles removed from storage, thrown around the gym.
— Hand sanitizer dumped in the hallway.
— Various “construction items” left inside the building.
— “Several items and money” were stolen from the main office.
The vandalism was discovered by Darlington police, the district said. “While checking the security of the building, (they) observed what appeared to be suspicious activity.”
“Teams of custodians and school staff” began working to clean up the school about midnight and finished in the morning.