Crime & Safety

Painters Blot Out Racist, Vulgar Graffiti at Mission Viejo School

Swastikas and other offensive emblems were scrawled all over Philip J. Reilly school this weekend.

Vandals caused thousands of dollars in damage over the weekend by spray-painting swastikas and vulgar words and images all over Philip J. Reilly Elementary School, said Principal Judy Shades

The markings on walls, doors and drinking fountains were discovered Sunday morning by a teacher, Shades said. But the graffiti was painted over before students returned to school Monday morning.

The rude drawings "covered every subject there is" and included depictions of genitalia, the principal said.

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She said the school district acted quickly to clean up the mess, but painters will spend at least three days repairing the damage.

“Unfortunately it takes resources away from the classroom when we have something like this, especially in these tough financial times,” she said.

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Students were brought to the multipurpose room before class Monday to discuss the vandalism.

The principal said she used the episode to emphasize good character.

"Someone who didn’t follow those character traits came to our school this weekend," she said. "I reminded our students of how proud I am of them being people of great character and thinking with their head and their hearts. We tried to make it positive about people making good choices.”

A call to local police was not immediately returned.


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