Tagging Society With a Headache : Schools struggle to cope with graffiti gone mad

In the uphill battle against graffiti in Southern California, the Buena Park School District in Orange County isn’t giving up. It is filing a civil lawsuit against the parents of eight boys accused of vandalizing two campuses.

The very fact that the “tagging” problem has come to this point is a sign ofhow desperate schools can get. Taking parents to court is obviously an extreme measure, to be used very cautiously.

Even good parents can lose control of a child. In some cases it would be of questionable equity to force them to pay for a child’s actions. But should school districts always be expected to accept fiduciary responsibility for the irresponsible behavior of some youngsters?

The children allegedly involved in the vandalism against Buena Park schools range in age from 10 to 15. The boys, who face possible criminal charges, are accused of spray-painting doors, walls and drinking fountains and using glass cutters to etch names on windows. The damage was extensive, and costly: $13,275.

Law enforcement officials say that at one time gangs marking turf generated most graffiti. Today even kids who aren’t in gangs may be members of tagging crews that leave their monikers all over town. It’s a disheartening fad that will take multiple responses to curb.

Filing a civil liability lawsuit is just one of many approaches on trial. Among others are ordinances in several cities requiring parents to pay criminal fines or participate in cleanups if their children are convicted of vandalism.

Los Angeles city schools can bill parents for the cost of student vandalism and, if payment isn’t made, go to court.

And a state legislator has proposed fining parents up to $1,000 for tagging by teen-agers, as well as denying the culprits a driver’s license until age 18 if they are convicted of vandalism.

The hard part, though, is getting young people to understand how much harm is done by graffiti. The City of Los Angeles alone spends $4 million a year on cleanup, money that could be used better.

And the cost of cleanup isn’t the worst part; nor is the fear of gang activity that such vandalism inspires. The worst is that in the wake of graffiti is left a sense that things are spiraling downward. Almost every legal means to reverse that despair deserves a try.

Hauling parents into court is certainly not the solution in all--perhaps not even in many--tagging cases. But, somehow or other, bringing in parents can send a powerful message of accountability that may be the beginning of a solution.