In the Fallon community, theft and vandalism pose significant challenges that affect our campus. It is essential to know that not only Fallon but many schools deal with these problems. These actions jeopardize the learning of students, but also are a big threat to the well being and academic ability of students. There’s a lot of equipment that gets stolen and harmful messages are written on bathroom walls. Many Fallon students have had their personal property taken on while on campus. Students who have dealt with theft reported that their belongings were stolen from various areas around the campus. Several students had items taken from their backpacks and PE lockers that were closed or locked at the time. The most vulnerable places for items to go missing are classrooms, blue tables, drop-off tables, and bike racks, which are outside in the open with no security. It is crucial for students to take measures to secure and monitor their belongings.
Impact of theft and vandalism at a school community
Theft at school can lead to students feeling insecure about leaving their personal items, such as backpacks, out in the open during PE. This can disrupt their learning because they will be focusing more on their personal items rather than what the teacher is saying. Many students have lost faith in their classmates and friends to not walk away with their personal belongings.
Vandalism is another problem that has affected the Fallon community over the past few years. Vandalizing school property causes a loss to the school, both in time and financially. Damaging walls or school property by writing offensive and rude messages or drawings can impact a student’s mental health. It is important to address how vandalism and stealing can impact a person’s life.
The survey on the left shows the locations at Fallon where student theft has been reported. The most vulnerable area is the classrooms. Some thieves also access locked and safeguarded items such as lockers and backpacks.
Students who were polled expressed their ideas on the form on how theft can be prevented at Fallon. The first suggestion is to educate students about keeping their belongings safe. Some other related ideas include having presentations about this topic during AP or having an assembly addressing this topic.
The second way is to increase security measures with security cameras. As you can probably tell, Fallon has already installed a system of cameras to monitor the school. In the poll sent out on how to stop theft and vandalism, eighth grader Rushil Chopra, a bike rider, worried about the safety of his bike. He suggests that the bike racks be covered and surveillance cameras be placed around the school to catch vandalizers. The school already records who uses the bathroom through Five Star. Seventh grader Corey Wan explains, “We [can] log in who has put their bike in the bike rack, or number the bike racks and make it organized.” This possible solution can make identifying bikes much easier. These methods may lower the number of bikes being stolen. In Dublin, over 3000 bikes were stolen in 2023. There were a total of 21 robberies that happened in 2022. Across the world, more than 1.5 million bikes are stolen every year in schools.
This may stop vandalism during the school day, but what about after school hours when there are no staff around? One idea that sparked interest is keeping the school well-lit at night, using surveillance cameras, and installing motion-activated lights.
Across the world, more than 77% of schools reported that an incident of crime has occurred during 2020. Viral TikTok trends promoting school vandalism take a big part by encouraging students to destroy bathrooms. Some schools across the world have started closing their physical buildings, making the switch to online schools, controlling access to school grounds, and issuing disciplinary actions such as detention or even suspension.
How can students get involved?
Some measures students can take are always locking PE lockers when not in use, making sure backpack zips are closed all the way, and not showing off valuable or expensive items. Being aware of their surroundings and reporting sketchy behavior to staff can also help reduce theft. Always put your initials on your valuables so it’s easier to track them down if they are lost or stolen. If you see anything left out in the open, always leave it in the lost and found. As for your bikes, always use locks and leave them in the bike racks, not anywhere else.
Staff Opinions
Principal’s secretary, Kristin Werder, elaborates on the purpose of the cameras being installed at Fallon, “The Dublin district has implemented cameras throughout the school to keep students safe and prevent theft. They are not yet connected to the system, but they will be in a couple of weeks.”
Eighth-grade PE teacher Ms. Jones explains what she has noticed: “Thankfully, we have had no occurrences of vandalism in the girls’ locker room. Any theft that has occurred has been due to students leaving their backpacks in the locker room during their PE class or failing to lock their lockers.”
Conclusion
While participating actively in these preventive measures, students can greatly contribute to cultivating a school environment that discourages acts of vandalism and develops a strong sense of pride. By dealing with theft and vandalism problems in our school, we’re not only keeping our school protected, but also making sure it’s a safe place for students to be in. This can not only help our Fallon community to be strong, but it makes for a safe space for all the students.
Sources:
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=49
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2022/2022029.pdf
https://dublin.ca.gov/133/Crime-Statistics
https://simplebikeinsurance.com/college-bicycle-theft-statistics/
