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NW Classen: No police report


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The following are emails from Joe Quigley
(Posted 4-2-03)

(3-31-03) Because we now have to cover absent teachers' classes because of the budget cuts, I did not have my planning period to go find the school police officer, and I did not chance upon him during any part of the day.
So, I left this note in his mailbox.


"03/31/03
Last spring I reported the removal of the "GIFT OF" plaque by persons unknown from the Community Bulletin Board.
I replaced it and used metal screws and nuts to hold it in place. The last one had been affixed with epoxy.
On 03/26/03 I saw that the replacement plaque had also been removed. Because tools would have been necessary, as would be time, I am reporting this as a deliberate act of vandalism and want to file a police report.

DATE  VANDALISM NOTED: 03/26/03
PLACE: Community Bulletin Board next to cafeteria
NATURE: "Gift Of" plaque removed with use of tools.

Please see me about filing the report and how I may get a copy of it."

Tomorrow on 04/01/03 I will again attempt to speak with the officer to file a formal report.
joe quigley

 

 

(4-1-03) Today, just after lunch the principal and school police officer came down my hall at school. The principal kept walking while the police officer wanted to talk to me since he did get my note.


     According to the school police officer, since it would be nearly impossible to deal with the removal of the bulletin board plaque short of an eye witness or a confession, he will not file a report.
   I, therefore, wrote the following note to the police officer:

04/01/03
"Considering that the vandalism to the community bulletin board has happened twice, and as the second time required time and the use of tools, and as no damage was done to the bulletin board which shows there was no forced entry, it appears obvious the action was planned and deliberate and sends a threatening message to a segment of the student population.
     Therefore, I still want to make a police report so that this repeated vandalism is a matter of record."

I went to the bulletin board at the end of the day just to satisfy my own curiousity and noted that the lock was NOT all scratched up, the door itself was closed with no damage to it, and that there were no scratches or marks on any part of the bulletin board. So, it still appears that the door was opened without force, and to get to the nuts on the inside of the board, the door would have had to have been opened. When I affixed the replacement plaque with screws, I used the pliers on the end of the screws to mess up the threads in an effort to make it difficult, if not impossible, to remove the screws from the outside. I have had to strain against this on screws on other things, and it has always been very annoying and inconvenient.
     I certainly hope that the bulletin board was not opened with a key. There are only two of them (the last I knew  the assistant principal had one as does the sponsor of the Student Council, but the principal used one once when we both went to the bulletin board the time he showed me it was getting a little difficult to close  for some reason), and if the principal was aware that someone with the key had opened the board to remove the screws, his response to my notification of the vandalism, "THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION. I WILL LOOK INTO IT AS I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY", would appear to be rather odd.
     The twice removal of the plaque, to me, sends a threatening message, though subtle, that GLBT people are not welcome, and anything to their benefit, often including the information they are just as protected according to certain policies as all those students who are obviously included when the district and school list, race, color, creed etc. is not welcomed information since it is routinely denied or removed.
   This is not good. So, I will speak to the police officer again on 04/02/03.
Also today, having attended the poetry reading on 03/29/03 held at Classen School for Advanced Studies (not to be confused with NWClassen) sponsored by both SGI and the Anti-Defamation League, I sent the following email to the ADL.


04/01/03
  "I reported to my principal an incident of vandalism that has taken place not once, but twice at the school at which I teach. It has been directed toward a bulletin board donated by The Gay and Lesbian Community in Oklahoma City to NWClassen High School and involves the removal of a plaque. The plaque bears the words "GIFT OF GAY AND LESBIAN ALUMNI OF OKLAHOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS".
   The first time the plaque was removed it had been affixed with epoxy and was removed when students were not in attendance, and it would have taken time to remove it implying that the person was aware they had the time to do it.
   The replacement plaque was secured with metal screws and nuts, so its removal besides once again needing time, in this case would also require the tools to remove it and the key to open the locked glass doors.
   On both occasions I reported this to the principal. On the first occasion the principal said he would pursue it, but never actually did, and this second time he thanked me for informing him and then added that he would
"LOOK INTO IT WHEN I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY".
   Based on this having been done twice and at times students were not in attendance, it would seem the principal would be more concerned about the message being sent to Gay and Lesbian Students on campus.
   Only two people on campus have keys to the bulletin board, the teacher who Sponsors the Student Council and the assistant principal. As there is no damage to the bulletin board itself, and it is presently locked, entry was not forced, and the nuts could only be removed if it were open.
   Not pleased that there seemed to be no urgency to the principal's concern, I contacted the school's police officer (a city police officer assigned to the campus)to file a police report on the vandalism. His response was that as it would be nearly impossible to address this short of an eye witness or a confession, such a report should not be made. However, I want it on record that these two incidences happened.
   The reluctance of both the principal and the police officer to address this concerns me greatly.
I would appreciate any help or suggestions."


joe quigley

 

Previous postings from Joe Quigley:

 

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