Walking into the boys’ bathroom, students were met with stalls covered in random writing and carvings, turning what should have been a normal space into something messy and damaged. What might have started as a joke quickly spread until it became a bigger problem.
For quite a bit of students, vandalism might seem harmless or even funny at first, but earlier this semester, when someone started writing and carving on the boys’ bathroom stalls, it became clear that graffiti actually affects everyone. It became serious enough that Principal TJ Myer made an announcement that almost never happens, and it shows how big a deal it became.
At first, people probably laughed or did not think much about it. Writing on stalls or carving into them might not seem like a big deal in the moment. It can just be messing around or leaving something behind for other people to see. In reality, it creates real problems. It damages school property and makes the bathrooms look worse for everyone who uses them. Nobody wants to walk into a place that looks messy or covered in random writing.
The graffiti also adds extra work for custodians, who already have enough to deal with every day. They did not cause the damage, but they are the ones who have to clean it up or try to fix it. Carving into stalls is not something that can just be wiped away easily. That kind of damage can stick around for a long time or even require parts to be replaced, which costs money that could have gone toward something better for students.
Meyer’s announcement might have sounded strict or even annoying to some people, but it was needed. It showed that the school is paying attention and does not want damage like this to keep happening. If nothing was said, more people might think it is okay to keep adding to it. That is how small situations turn into bigger ones; one person starts it, and then others follow.
Another problem is how it affects the overall feeling of the school. Seeing writing and carvings all over the stalls makes the place feel less clean and less respected. School is somewhere students spend huge parts of their days, so it should at least be a place where people feel comfortable. When spaces start to look run-down or uncared for, it changes how people treat the bathrooms. If it already looks bad, some people might think it does not matter if they make it worse.
Instead of adding to the problem, students should think about the impact of what they are doing. It doesn’t take much effort to just leave things alone. Respecting shared spaces is one of the easiest ways to make school a better place for everyone. Even small choices, like not writing on walls or desks, can make a difference over time.
What happened earlier this semester should be a wake-up call. Even if it seemed small at the time, it clearly had a bigger impact than people expected. The fact that it led to a school-wide announcement shows that it was not just a minor issue. Hopefully, people learn from it and start thinking more before making choices like that again.
