(October 31, 2000) — Principal Doug Dall’s voice echoed through the halls over the intercom system on Friday afternoon, Sept. 29 as he announced the presence of graffiti on the school’s walls. A series of vandalism incidents had been occurring around the school in late Sept., including tagging by permanent markers on bathrooms, doors and benches around the school. This series of vandalism incidents created a feeling of “disappointment” in both Dall and English teacher Stephanie Sajjadieh, who said she felt “sadness that there isn’t an appreciation for what [the students] have,” especially when she has “been in a school where vandalism is a norm.” Dall said he felt “personally hurt and sad for our students” whose campus had been violated by these acts of willful destruction of school property. Cameras and gates are being installed in what history teacher Cynthia Nash and Sajjadieh agree is “bad timing.” Although it appears to many students that the cameras are being added because of the vandalism, according to Nash, “It was planned from the beginning that [the school] would put the cameras up; it [the vandalism] just acted as a catalyst for quicker action.” Dall said he is concerned that money will be wasted on repair instead of being used to keep the school up to date with new equipment. “There’s only so much money,” he said, “and if you’re spending all your money on repairs, you’re not spending it on technology.” Dall also said that the administration was working with individual students to encourage pride in their school. While some students felt “upset” that someone had defaced their school, others, like junior Cynthia Gharib, did not. “It’s so common in other schools,” she said at first. After a pause, however, she admitted, “But I was a little surprised because Clark is such a good school.”