Brookfield Central High School - Legend Yearbook (Brookfield, WI)

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XA Problem of IVQVQISH 2 3 E Purposeful destruction or defacement of another's property without expressly given consent. This is vandalism. It is also a growing problem at Brookfield Central High School and at High Schools across the land, as youths increase their malicious tendencies, vandalizing more and to a greater degree than has ever been recorded. In New York state alone, the monetary value of property damaged or destroyed at public schools across the state in the year 1979 amounted to over one billion dollars, not to mention the countless bil- lions of dollars lost to the vandalism of private property. The vandalism prob- lem is obviously a growing problem in contemporary society, becoming worse each year. . What is at the root of this alarming rise in vandalism by the youth of Amer- ica, including BCHS? There are many complicated interwoven factors that contribute to its growth, factors which must be taken into account before one can figure out the secret behind this enigma. A rising number of angry youths is one reason. High School students angry at the whole world need the release of their penned-up hostility, and a High School, which to the youth may seem a prison, is an obvious target. Comments Senior Todd Hart, To me, it seems that there are many students who destroy because they have something against the school. lt's crazy. Another important factor, which is also a sign of the times, is accelerating declines in moral values. Students sim- ply do not care about others' property, deriving perhaps a cheap thrill out of the 180 f A Problem of Morals destruction of vandalism, or having not a thing more constructive to do, vandal- ize to escape boredom. Some kids wreck stuff just for the fun of it, declares Senior Adam Rudolph. They just don't care that it is not theirs to destroy. Morality, or a lack of it, is cer- 1 Z.. -' tainly involved with this problem. There is an obvious hole in the grow- ing and development of America's youth, exhibited in the increasing disre- gard for what is not theirs. BCHS shows this disregard, defacement and destruc- tion a grim reminder of our vandalistic tendencies. Vandalism is really a probler because out of 1500 students, only on or two per cent is doing it, and yet th whole school suffers. lt's hard to knot what to do about it - it seems tha we've tried so hard and gotten fel results. Maybe if students had a way t vent their frustrations other than break ing windows and writing on walls, we't see less vandalism. lLaura Lyonsj I don't approve of vandalismg I thin it's disgusting and worthless. These stu dents are showing less respect for prop erty, and that seems to say that thei morale is down and they just don't care The problem is, lt's hard to even knoi how to approach the problem. We jus have to hope that it's only a stage, ant they'll grow out of it. lSteve Donleyj The reason, I think, that vandalisn has been increasing over the past fel years is that teachers are controlling thi school so much more, and kids art rebelling against it. It seems that ther' are more followers than leaders, ani that seems to go along with the increasl in vandalism. tWendi Flivelandl Vandalism is one of the major con cerns of the administration, and i should be of the students in general as well, because when it comes down to il it's not the administrators' loss, but tht students', for they have to go to schoc here for three years. So those who van dalize are really doing the act to them selves. There seems to be a negativi trend in morality, but perhaps it is jus publicized more now. ln any case, we should all concern ourselves with the vandalism problem and realize tha there is no one-shot solution to a prob lem this complex. lFran Ruzickaj