i didnt go to school.... but i drove by at lunchtime and there was like 5 people there lol

Students respond to graffiti threat
Wednesday, October 22, 2003

By HEATHER OSBORN
Register Staff Writer

From nonchalance to anxiety, Vintage High School students reacted differently to threats that were spray-painted on campus over the weekend.

The message, "Everyone will die 10/21/03," appeared on the theater building in the quad, but was painted over by Monday and removed by Tuesday.

School administrators conducted an internal investigation Monday, concluding that the threat did not warrant canceling classes.

"I thought it was a joke," said Yadira Gallegos, a freshman, adding that she chose to come to school primarily because she wanted to meet the strict attendance rules for her new driver's education class. She said some teachers closed and locked classroom doors to make students feel safer.

Another student, freshman Gabe Gonzalez, said he believed the threat. "Why would someone write that if they weren't going to do something?"

Gallegos and Gonzalez were among the roughly 70 percent of students who attended school Tuesday, though several said they had considered staying home. Brian Marchus, a counselor, said 99 percent of the teaching staff showed up Tuesday.

Nearly every student interviewed had discussed the matter with their parents, weighing the pros and cons of skipping school for the day.

"I wasn't going to come to school but my dad said I had to," said Sophomore Vivaldo Ceballos, Jr. "I was a little scared."

Most parents received a schoolwide phone message from Principal Eric Schneider Monday night. In the message, he assured parents that extra safety precautions would be taken Tuesday, including additional police support on campus.

Some students tapped into their religious beliefs to deal with the threats, including freshman Kaylee Cocke, who said she prayed with a friend's mom before going to school.

"I wasn't really scared. I was more nervous," Cocke said. "Having the police here made me feel safer."

Students said up to five police cars were parked around campus during the day. Normally, one police officer is at the school.

Several students said it's impossible to know when tragedy will strike so they chose to attend school.

"If it's going to happen, it's going to happen. You can't be scared every day," Gallegos said.

Students and staff reported a fairly normal day at Vintage, but noted that more students than normal were absent Tuesday and more parents than usual called the front office during the day to ask questions.

"In all of my classes, at least half of the students were gone," said Christina Pella, a sophomore. "I think a lot of them were like, 'hey, it's a good way to get out of school.'"

Some people expressed such cynicism about the threat, but said they had to react with extra precautions anyway.

"The threat is taken seriously, but I don't think any of us felt intimidated because appropriate steps had been taken to calm fears," said Kelin Backman, an English teacher.