[url]http://www.kristv.com/global/story.asp?s=11363736[/URL]
BISHOP - Bishop ISD has canceled classes on its primary campus Thursday after vandals ransacked the school Wednesday night.
Bishop Superintendent Christina Gutierrez says a teacher and her spouse had stopped by the school around 9:00 p.m. Wednesday night when they caught three children breaking into the soda machine in a faculty room. The students claimed they found the school in the condition that it was in and had nothing to do with the crime.
However, that didn't stop police from taking them in.
The students are only being identified as a 9-year-old third grader, an 11-year-old in the fifth grade and a junior high school student who's 12 or 13-years-old.
The kids broke glass windows, ransacked classrooms, broke at least two computers, and tampered with switches and servers.
The vandals also broke into the cafeteria where they loaded up on milk and yogurt to splatter on the walls and hallways.
"Of course I was upset. I came in right away and was very disappointed with what I saw," Bishop Primary Principal Debbie Gonzalez said.
"It's just a big mess. It seems like it is quite a bit of damage. Money wise, I can't tell you what we are looking at, but there is a lot of damage technology wise to this campus," Gutierrez said.
The district had just installed security cameras which Gutierrez says were torn out and damaged. However, Gutierrez says their efforts to not get recorded failed.
"We were able to get some really good footage of the campus and the students in the building. So, we feel pretty confident that we probably found the students responsible for the vandalism," Gutierrez said.
School officials are not sure the exact cost of the damages but Gutierrez says something like this takes a heavy toll on the community.
She added, "We have a lot of pride for Bishop ISD. This school system is the heartbeat of the community, so we were devastated when this happened four years ago to our high school and even more saddened to see this happen to our primary."
The superintendent says this is not the first time the district has been targeted by vandals.
In October of 2005, vandals ransacked Bishop High School and Luehrs Junior High. The culprits poured soda on computers and smashed trophy cases and windows.
The damages for the vandalism spree was about $300,000. Two students were arrested for the crime.
School will be in session Friday as scheduled. The teachers and maintenance staff spent the day cleaning up the mess Thursday.
Gutierrez said the boys probably won't be suspended or expelled, but they will be placed in the district's alternative school. She added that they plan to prosecute the children, however, to the fullest extent of the law.
The district will also take steps to get financial restitution for the damage done to the school
BISHOP - Bishop ISD has canceled classes on its primary campus Thursday after vandals ransacked the school Wednesday night.
Bishop Superintendent Christina Gutierrez says a teacher and her spouse had stopped by the school around 9:00 p.m. Wednesday night when they caught three children breaking into the soda machine in a faculty room. The students claimed they found the school in the condition that it was in and had nothing to do with the crime.
However, that didn't stop police from taking them in.
The students are only being identified as a 9-year-old third grader, an 11-year-old in the fifth grade and a junior high school student who's 12 or 13-years-old.
The kids broke glass windows, ransacked classrooms, broke at least two computers, and tampered with switches and servers.
The vandals also broke into the cafeteria where they loaded up on milk and yogurt to splatter on the walls and hallways.
"Of course I was upset. I came in right away and was very disappointed with what I saw," Bishop Primary Principal Debbie Gonzalez said.
"It's just a big mess. It seems like it is quite a bit of damage. Money wise, I can't tell you what we are looking at, but there is a lot of damage technology wise to this campus," Gutierrez said.
The district had just installed security cameras which Gutierrez says were torn out and damaged. However, Gutierrez says their efforts to not get recorded failed.
"We were able to get some really good footage of the campus and the students in the building. So, we feel pretty confident that we probably found the students responsible for the vandalism," Gutierrez said.
School officials are not sure the exact cost of the damages but Gutierrez says something like this takes a heavy toll on the community.
She added, "We have a lot of pride for Bishop ISD. This school system is the heartbeat of the community, so we were devastated when this happened four years ago to our high school and even more saddened to see this happen to our primary."
The superintendent says this is not the first time the district has been targeted by vandals.
In October of 2005, vandals ransacked Bishop High School and Luehrs Junior High. The culprits poured soda on computers and smashed trophy cases and windows.
The damages for the vandalism spree was about $300,000. Two students were arrested for the crime.
School will be in session Friday as scheduled. The teachers and maintenance staff spent the day cleaning up the mess Thursday.
Gutierrez said the boys probably won't be suspended or expelled, but they will be placed in the district's alternative school. She added that they plan to prosecute the children, however, to the fullest extent of the law.
The district will also take steps to get financial restitution for the damage done to the school
