Senior Class Events Canceled After Vandals Deface School

Furious over what they say is an unacceptable act of vandalism, Oxnard High School officials have canceled several senior class activities but have stopped short of pulling the plug on graduation ceremonies.

Over the weekend, vandals spray-painted several sidewalks at the new school, as well as many exterior walls and windows.

Responding swiftly, Principal Daisy Tatum spoke to students Monday morning.

“I said what they had done was unacceptable,” Tatum said. “The students were told there would be consequences.”

And there were.

The school canceled a Tuesday afternoon senior barbecue and a senior breakfast planned for this morning.

Tatum also told students that their actions had put their graduation ceremony in jeopardy, said Terry Lopez, Tatum’s secretary.

That message was interpreted by many students and their parents to mean that unless the students who committed the vandalism came forward, the graduation would be canceled, a punishment some thought was too harsh.

“The whole senior class is being held responsible for the actions of a few,” said senior Walter Cho, the class salutatorian. “It’s completely unfair. The principal said graduation events were a privilege we had to earn. Well, many of us have earned it.”

Jean Fouchey, whose son Alden is a senior, said she had spoken with other parents about holding a separate graduation ceremony if school officials canceled it. Fouchey had helped organize the barbecue before it was canceled.

“They shouldn’t be punishing all the seniors for what a few have done,” Fouchey said. “It’s hard on the students and their families.”

On Tuesday, Tatum would not say whether she had ever planned to cancel the graduation.

“She never did say it was canceled,” Lopez said.

And at the Oxnard Union High School District, Assistant Supt. Gary Davis said Thursday’s graduation ceremony was still on.

The graffiti, which was cleaned up Monday by district employees, dismayed students and school officials. Many of them take pride in their year-old, $36-million campus.

“It [the graffiti] shouldn’t have been done,” said senior Ricardo Lievanos. “But I don’t think that everybody should pay. For the first graduating class at the school not to go through graduation would be really bad.”

Freshman Miguel Ortega said he saw several doors spray-painted with “Class of ’96.”

“It’s not good to mess up the new school,” Miguel said. “It’s not good to destroy something that is not theirs. But I also feel sad for the seniors.”

Students found out early Tuesday that the senior barbecue was canceled. A few hours later, the breakfast was canceled after those responsible for the vandalism failed to turn themselves in by a midday Tuesday deadline.

School officials are investigating the incident, Davis said.

“We regard vandalism as very serious,” Davis said. Those responsible for it would be asked to compensate the district for cleanup costs and would face disciplinary action, he said.

The incident tarnishes what students said was an otherwise calm school year.

“It’s really sad, because there are so many good kids at this school,” Tatum said.